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Chamwe Kaira  Nedbank Group’s results for the six months ending June 30 revealed a 77% increase in impairments, totalling N$184 million.  This rise was driven by write-offs in Namibia’s retail home loan portfolio, impairment reviews in Eswatini, and a downgrade in Mozambique’s sovereign debt ratings. Nedbank also extended its intelligent depositor device rollout across Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, now offering cash recycling capabilities.  Terence Sibiya, Nedbank’s group managing executive for Africa Regions, emphasised that the future of the bank’s growth lies in Africa.  The Nedbank Africa Regions (NAR) cluster, which includes Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, along with…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chief investigating officer Oberty Inambao told the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday that the former managing director of the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor), Immanuel Mulunga, was tricked into making a N$53 million offer to acquire fuel storage facilities.  He said Namcor, through Mulunga, had made an offer to acquire storage facilities.  However, this offer was never executed. “Mulunga represented Namcor, and he was misled on the 15th of July 2022. Those storage facilities have never been acquired by Namcor, even though the asset purchase agreement was signed on that day,” said Inambao during…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The government is exploring ways to ensure 51% local ownership in new mining ventures. This will be done through a new policy aimed at promoting local empowerment and long-term sustainability.Deputy prime minister and minister of industries, mines and energy, Natangue Ithete announced the plan on Tuesday during the opening of the 2025 Mining Expo in Windhoek. “We are actively consulting with industry stakeholders on mechanisms that will promote 51% Namibian ownership in new mining ventures,” said Ithete. He said local empowerment is not only a matter of social justice but also a cornerstone for long-term stability and sustainability…

Justicia Shipena More than 1.6 million Namibians cannot afford a healthy diet.  This is according to the 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI 2025) report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).  With Namibia’s population at approximately 3 million, this means just 46.7% of citizens can afford the minimum nutritional requirements for a healthy lifestyle. The figures in the SOFI 2025 indicated an increase from last year’s estimated figures of 1.5 million people.  Between 2021 and 2023, the cost of a healthy diet in Namibia rose by over 19%. In 2023 alone, food and…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says Namibia and Germany have not yet reached a final agreement on genocide reparations, nearly ten years after formal negotiations began. She made the remarks on Friday during the 63rd anniversary of Pan African Women’s Day at the Independence Arena in Windhoek.  Nandi-Ndaitwah said talks with Germany are ongoing with the aim of reaching common ground. In April, during her State of the Nation Address (Sona), Nandi-Ndaitwah said progress had been made in discussions over the 1904–1908 genocide committed against the Nama and Ovaherero communities.  That same month, in an interview with Al Jazeera, she…

Justicia Shipena  Former top officials at the Ministry of Health are not part of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)’s current investigation into the mismanagement of medicine tenders. ACC director general Paulus Noa told the Windhoek Observer that neither former health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula nor former executive director Ben Nangombe is under investigation. “We have nothing that we are investigating, Dr. Shangula. There’s no such investigation going on around here. We also don’t have a file against the former executive director Ben Nangombe. As far as I know, there was no report that has been submitted to me concerning Nangombe,” Noa…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  The recent reshuffle of executive directors, involving officials previously linked to the ministry of health, has raised concerns about corruption and instability in the public service.  Ben Nangombe who served as executive directors at the health ministry is among those affected by the latest transfers. Nangombe served as the executive director of the health ministry from 2018 until March this year, before being transferred to the ministry of industries, mines, and energy. The office of the prime minister announced the changes on Thursday, with effect from 1 August.  This marks the second round of reshuffles in just over…

Justicia Shipena The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has flagged the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) over the escape of fugitive Victor Malima. Malima remains at large in connection with the Namcor fuel corruption case. ACC director general Paulus Noa said that Malima has not yet been arrested and said there are no new developments. “We have nothing to update the public except to say that he has not yet been arrested,” Noa said. He explained that the suspect [Malima] has been reported to all relevant authorities, not just in Angola.  “We have to contact all the authorities through Interpol, not only…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Families relocated to Farm 508 behind Goreangab, known as Okapale, have threatened to return to Otjomuise if the City of Windhoek does not address unsafe and inhumane living conditions at the relocation site.  In a petition submitted to the City of Windhoek (CoW) Council, mayor, and chief executive officer, the Khomas Rate Payers and Residents Association stated that the city plans to move more households to the area on 31 July without proper services in place. The petition, signed by 387 affected households, warns that if their concerns are not addressed by 31 July, they will move back…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja A 75-year-old Katutura woman has taken legal action against the Namibia Post Limited (NamPost), accusing the institution of failing to protect her account from unauthorised transactions totalling more than N$10,000. Petrina Sikeka claims that 12 fraudulent withdrawals were made from her transactional account at the Katutura branch between February and July this year.  The funds include her monthly pension of N$1,600 and an additional N$350 orphanage grant for her grandson. Kadhila Amoomo Legal Practitioners, acting on Petrina’s behalf, sent a letter to Nampost chief executive officer Festus Hangula on Friday. The letter states that the client’s account was…