National News

Renthia Kaimbi  Seventy-five percent of fires recorded in Windhoek last year occurred in informal settlements, the City of Windhoek has revealed.  Windhoek mayor Ndeshihafela Larandja shared the figures during the official opening of International Fire Safety Week 2025 at the City’s Head Quarter Fire Station yesterday. Larandja said that in 2024, the city’s fire brigade responded to more than 2,000 fire-related incidents, of which nearly 200 were dwelling fires.  “These fires claimed lives, destroyed homes, and wiped away the belongings of families who already had very little,” she said. The mayor described fires as one of the biggest threats to…

Allexer Namundjembo Walvis Bay residents will now pay N$235.32 per household each month for refuse collection. The new rate follows tariff corrections announced by the municipality for the 2025/2026 financial year. The change, effective from 1 July, was gazetted under government notice No. 729 and signed by the town's mayor, Trevino Forbes.  It was published in the government gazette No. 8753 dated 1 October 2025. Under the revised tariff schedule, residents in Tutaleni and Farm 37 will continue to pay subsidised rates of N$80.70, while pensioners will be charged N$71.95.  Businesses will pay N$429.16 for standard bin removals per week…

Allexer Namundjembo The Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) has approved the merger between Achill Island Investments (Pty) Ltd and Silverlands Vineyards (Pty) Ltd under strict employment conditions.  The decision, published in a recent government gazette, requires the merged entity to protect jobs and maintain employee benefits for at least three years after the merger takes effect. The approval was granted in terms of section 47(2)(e) of the Competition Act, 2003, which allows NaCC to consider employment stability when reviewing mergers.  The ruling prohibits merger-specific retrenchments and voluntary separation schemes intended to reduce staff numbers.  Employees must also remain on terms that…

Moses Magadza The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) on Monday opened a two-day consultation in Johannesburg focusing on health in prisons and the draft SADC model law on prison oversight.  The consultation brings together health professionals working in prison settings, ministries of health and correctional services, civil society organisations, and development partners to contribute technical and professional input to the draft law, which aims to strengthen parliamentary oversight and improve prison conditions across the region. Delivering the keynote address, Victor Mhango, vice chairperson of the technical working group (TWG) on prison oversight, described the initiative as “a…

Renthia Kaimbi Walvis Bay Rural councillor Florian Donatus used the Erongo Regional Council credit card to buy cosmetics and groceries, according to invoices in possession of the Windhoek Observer.  Donatus was recently charged with fraud, theft, and money laundering over N$116 000 at the council. A shopping invoice Metro in Walvis Bay shows purchases billed to the council that include two tubs of dairy ice cream, a can of deodorant, bubble bath in different scents, and other groceries such as dishwashing liquid, washing powder, cooking oil, sugar, and luncheon meat.  His conduct prompted minister of urban and rural development James…

Justicia Shipena A group of more than 17 health assistants in Ohangwena say the government has left them in the cold and remained silent after their contracts were terminated following the freezing of United States aid. The assistants were employed under Potentia and funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  On Wednesday, they handed a petition to the Ohangwena health directorate, pleading to be re-employed. Speaking on behalf of the group, Selma Heita said they had served the ministry for over a decade and felt abandoned.  “It’s really saddening to hear that our contract is…

Renthia Kaimbi President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says her administration will not tolerate high markups on essential goods, especially in the health sector. Nandi-Ndaitwah said she was not opposed to removing middlemen from the Health Ministry’s procurement process. Last month, the Ministry of Health stopped using middlemen in the procurement of medicines and clinical supplies, choosing instead to buy directly from international manufacturers and wholesalers. Health Minister Esperance Luvindao said the decision has already saved the government more than N$221 million in the first phase. Nandi-Ndaitwah said the savings will be reinvested into improving the country’s public health system.  “We have cut…

Justicia Shipena The deputy minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports and Culture, Dino Ballotti, has called for stronger national support for teachers’ mental health. He said their well-being is essential to the success of the country's education system. Speaking at the launch of the Teachers’ Mental Health Awareness Campaign in Keetmanshoop on Friday, Ballotti said the initiative aims to promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and foster a culture of care in schools.  The launch took place ahead of World Teachers’ Day, which Namibia celebrated with the rest of the world on Sunday.  “When teachers are well, schools shall be…

Justicia Shipena The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spent N$800 000 more in completing the construction of its Erongo Regional Office in Swakopmund after appointing a new contractor to finish the project. Environment and tourism minister Indileni Daniel said the project was initially valued at N$19.2 million.  She said after the first contractor was terminated in August 2018, when the work was 78% complete, the remaining construction was completed for N$8.3 million. The expansion of the Swakopmund office started in 2015 with the construction of a new office block.  The project faced delays due to poor workmanship by the…

Allexer Namundjembo The government is considering building a shared office complex for Namibia’s former presidents, prime minister Elijah Ngurare said on Thursday.  Ngurare said this is the idea, instead of constructing individual offices for each. Ngurare made the announcement in Parliament while responding to questions from Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani about post-presidency arrangements for former president Nangolo Mbumba. He explained that the Former President’s Pension and Other Benefits Act of 2004 governs the benefits extended to former presidents and does not require the construction of separate offices. He said the idea of a shared office complex would…