National News

Renthia Kaimbi A road accident between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo on Friday has claimed eleven lives, including two nurses and a driver employed by the Ministry of Health and Social Services, but sources have disputed the ministry’s claim that the other victims were patients, saying they were hitchhikers. In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry said the two nurses and driver were transporting eight patients from Khorixas District Hospital to Katutura Intermediate Hospital for follow-up care in a fourteen-seater minibus. The vehicle reportedly swerved to avoid a kudu and crashed into a truck. “As a result of this horrific accident,…

Allexer Namundjembo  President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on Namibians to uphold unity and protect the country’s independence.  Speaking at the 48th commemoration of the Cassinga massacre in Outapi on Monday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the attack exposed the brutality of apartheid South Africa and strengthened Namibia’s fight for freedom. “Hundreds of innocent Namibians, mostly women and children, were killed in cold blood,” she said. She said the commemoration, held under the theme “48 years of Honour and Sacrifice Inspiring the Future", reminds the country of its duty to defend independence and ensure national resources benefit future generations. Nandi-Ndaitwah paid tribute to founding…

Justicia Shipena  President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has urged Namibian workers to take initiative in improving their skills.  This she said includes developing their own training programmes. She said workers must use available learning opportunities, especially online. “In the world of technology, workers can also arrange their own training programmes; more particularly, there are a number of courses that can be followed online,” she said during International Workers’ Day commemorations in Opuwo on Friday.  Nandi-Ndaitwah said the 2026 theme, which focuses on continuous in-service training, highlights the need for a skilled workforce. “This theme is calling for a skill-driven labour force if…

Justicia Shipena The Supreme Court of Namibia has ruled that the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN) did not meet the legal standard to claim “wasted costs” in a dispute linked to the veterinary cordon fence, known as the redline.  The court made the ruling on Thursday. Deputy chief justice Petrus Damaseb presided, with acting judges of appeal Dave Smuts and Elizabeth Makarau concurring. The case focused only on legal costs and not the main constitutional issue involving livestock movement restrictions along the redline.  The court explained that wasted costs arise when one party forces another to spend…

Patience Makwele Home affairs, immigration, safety and security minister Lucia Iipumbu has warned new correctional officers not to abuse their power.  She spoke at the 32nd Basic Training Graduation Ceremony of the Namibian Correctional Service, where 399 recruits graduated on Thursday.  Iipumbu said officers must treat inmates with dignity. “No officer is made stronger by mistreating an inmate. No institution is made safer by violating human dignity. You have earned the right to wear the uniform, but you must now earn the trust that comes with it every single day,” she said, adding that the uniform is a symbol of…

Justicia Shipena  Agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform minister Inge Zaamwani says the Hyphen Green Hydrogen Project could open new opportunities for agriculture, including a green scheme in Aus supported by desalinated water. She spoke on Sunday during a site visit to the Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project near Lüderitz. “As a minister responsible for agriculture, water, fishery, and land reform, I'm also seeing opportunities, especially when they talk about the desalination plant. With that desalination coming so close to Aus, and we know Aus is already a water-stressed farming community, I'm seeing a solution of us piping the water down…

Allexer Namundjembo  The Retirement Funds Institute of Namibia (RFIN) and the Batseta Council of Retirement Funds for South Africa have signed an agreement to strengthen governance and skills in Namibia’s retirement fund sector. The two organisations signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Thursday in Windhoek.  The partnership focuses on training trustees and principal officers to improve oversight and decision-making in retirement funds. Under the agreement, Batseta will provide training programmes. These include introductory courses for trustees, advanced masterclasses for principal officers, and training sessions for boards.  The programme will also include a Namibian trustees' toolkit and modules on issues…

Justicia Shipena  The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has called for urgent reforms to strengthen media sustainability and press freedom in Namibia.  IPPR warned that financial pressure and digital disruption are weakening the media sector. The recommendations were released on 3 May to mark World Press Freedom Day.  IPPR's executive director Graham Hopwood said investigative journalism is under strain. “Investigative and analytical journalism is increasingly under threat due to shrinking revenues and newsroom capacity,” he said. He called for funding to support quality reporting. “Namibia should explore funding models such as grants, public interest funds, or tax incentives to…

Renthia Kaimbi Minister of Urban and Rural Development James Sankwasa has raised concerns over what he describes as a rapid and unverified increase in the number of traditional authorities across Namibia, warning that overlapping jurisdictions are creating confusion over the administration of communal land. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer yesterday following a week-long consultation meeting with traditional authorities held in Otjiwarongo last month, Sankwasa said his ministry has asked traditional chiefs to prove their lineage to the throne. The move, he explained, is intended to help the ministry better amend the Communal Land Act, as there are currently too many…

Patience Makwele The reappointed Atomic Energy Board will focus on reviewing legislation, strengthening technical capacity and assessing projects as Namibia moves to advance its nuclear strategy. The board, chaired by Shitaleni Herman, has been appointed for a three-year term following its inauguration by health and social services minister Esperance Luvindao on Wednesday. Luvindao said the board will play a role in implementing the country’s nuclear plans after the Cabinet approved the Nuclear Industry Strategy in September 2025. “The board remains vital in shaping the trajectory of Namibia’s nuclear sector and ensuring it contributes meaningfully to national development,” she said. The…