National News

Allexer Namundjembo The rollout of native language education in schools is facing setbacks due to a shortage of qualified teachers in the Khomas and Erongo regions. This is especially for the Rukwangali and Khoekhoegowab, leaving many learners without the opportunity to study their mother tongues. Despite government policies to address these challenges, progress has been slow, with little being done to employ educators from regions where native languages are spoken. Educational director Paulus Nghikembua on Monday told the Windhoek Observer that the situation is impacting the learners badly. “Currently the Rukwangali language is being offered at Dr. Frans Indongo Primary…

Niël Terblanché TB incidence among mine workers is estimated to be ten times higher than in the general population. This is according to the health ministry’s executive director, Ben Nangombe. He said this during the signing of a new set of Mine Health and Safety Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on Monday in Windhoek. “Mining as a critical sector in Namibia’s economy, has long been associated with health risks such as TB due to the working conditions, including poor ventilation and exposure to hazardous dust,” he said. According to Nangombe the high prevalence of TB among miners is exacerbated by factors…

Suzie Shefeni Interesting developments have been taking place in the Namibian green hydrogen sector since the launch of the inaugural Green Hydrogen Monitor. Namibia’s Blueprint for Green Hydrogen was published in August and various global green hydrogen convenings saw the establishment of a myriad of partnerships all with the aim of turning Namibia’s ambition into reality. This article looks at 6 of the newer players that have been creating momentum and explores the postponement of the HyRail project. Zhero Green Hydrogen One of the newer players on the block is Zhero Molecules Walvis Bay. The company is partnered with Envision…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Republican Party (RP) leader, Henk Mudge, has pledged to impose an immediate embargo on all tenders awarded to Chinese companies and cancel existing contracts if he becomes Namibia's next president. The politician said this on Monday during a press conference in Windhoek while outlining his plans for a Namibian-first approach. “I will order an immediate investigation into the legality of the documentation of all the Chinese citizens, especially shop owners all over Namibia. I believe that the vast majority will be fond to either have achieved their documents in a corrupt manner that they have no right to…

Martin Endjala Tsumkwe settlement in the northeastern part of the Otjozondjupa region is home to over 7 000 San people who are historically known for their hunting and gathering skills. Over time, they have become accustomed to modern life, which presents unique challenges in their social and economic lives. People from all over the country settled in Tsumkwe for work, while others established businesses to serve those who could not frequently travel 300 kilometres to Grootfontein, the nearest trading centre. One of the pressing issues for both residents and business owners is the deteriorating road infrastructure, which affects both the…

Allexer Namundjembo The Popular Democratic Movement’s (PDM) leader, McHenry Venaani has vowed to reduce Namibia’s housing backlog by 30%. Venaani unveiled plans to introduce a comprehensive housing scheme that integrates existing programmes with new policy interventions aimed at expanding the housing sector at the party’s star rally at Keetmanshoop on Saturday. "We will develop an innovative scheme that merges existing programmes and supports the housing sector through appropriate policies and credit availability, including interest subventions where necessary," Venaani explained. According to Venaani, while 80% of families live in detached or stand-alone houses, 64% of them reside in informal settlements at…