National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The two factions of SWANU, one led by Evilastus Kaaronda and another by Charles Katjivirue, have agreed to withdraw their claims against each other, subject to the signed terms and conditions in the High Court on Monday. In 2023, the faction of Kaaronda went to court, demanding that Katjivirue and his followers cease calling themselves elected party leaders and stop using party letterheads, emblems, and colours for campaigns. According to court documents, this occurred after Katjivirue and his faction held a meeting on 22 May 2021, at Tjiri Lodge in the Omaheke region. Katjivirue then organised an extraordinary…

Stefanus Nashama The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) currently holds millions of dollars in unclaimed benefits, a substantial amount that could significantly impact the lives of many former government employees and their families. Edwin Tjiramba, GIPF’s General Manager of Marketing and Stakeholder Engagement said that despite the entitlement of every staff member from participating employers within Government Offices, Ministries, Agencies, state-owned entities, and Regional and Village Councils to receive pension benefits upon leaving employment, a surprising number have yet to claim what is rightfully theirs. According to Tjiramba, the Fund guarantees these benefits under its rules, ensuring that they are…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The father of missing child Spencer Mandela Nakale is pleading for assistance from private investigators to help locate his son, who vanished at Lüderitz in December 2020. Spencer’s father, Nelson Nakale, said that despite his persistent efforts, including putting up posters and seeking monetary support for a thorough investigation, no significant leads have emerged. Nakale said people come to him with different theories, and he stressed that every piece of information that comes forward is considered. “There have been no new developments, but there are always people coming with different stories, and one cannot turn them back. Because…

Stefanus Nashama Member of the National Assembly, Maximalliant Katjimune from the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), has urged the Namibia Football Association (NFA) to enforce and implement rules and regulations regarding the involvement of players in the open political arena. Katjimune believes that without proper guidance for players' participation in politics, they may set a dangerous precedent. Katjimune said this on Tuesday, in response to the Swapo's announcement on Sunday on its social media page that international professional football player Peter Shalulile has joined the party. “Game on. Comrade Peter Shalulile joined Swapo. November, here we come,” the post reads. The…

Niël Terblanché Swakopmund resident and professional big game hunter, Gert Andres Jacobus (Kudu) van der Walt, lost his life during an elephant attack in the Kambangula grazing area of the Tsandi Constituency on Monday afternoon. The 46-year-old was trampled by an elephant while trophy hunting in the company of international guests in the Omusati Region. According to police reports, Van der Walt was hunting an elephant bull that had been officially designated as a problematic animal. Accompanied by a group of international visitors and guides from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Van der Walt was involved in a…

Niël Terblanché Namibia’s economy is expected to experience a slowdown in growth this year, with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projected to increase by only 3.7 percent. This deceleration is attributed to a combination of factors, including persistent drought conditions and weak global demand for minerals, which have adversely affected the country's export-driven sectors. However, recovery is on the horizon, with GDP growth forecasted to rebound to 4.1 percent in 2025. The Bank of Namibia's (BoN) Governor, Johannes !Gawaxab provided an update on the domestic and global economic outlook to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration last…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs has asked the Ministry of Justice and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to fast-track the implementation and operationalisation of the Whistle-Blowers Protection Act, 2017. The law aims to protect public members who wish to report corruption and provide evidence. The committee's report to the National Assembly last week recommended that the Office of the President and Office of the Prime Minister, in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, and Public Enterprises, should provide the ACC with legal tools to effectively combat corruption. The committee has also directed…

Niël Terblanché The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called for a united and coordinated effort to tackle the increasing impacts of chronic droughts and intense flash floods that are exacerbating land degradation across the region. Boemo Sekgoma, Secretary-General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, stressed the critical role that members of Parliament must play in addressing these urgent environmental issues. Delivering her message under the theme "United for Land: Our Legacy. Our Future," Sekgoma outlined SADC's strategic plan, which underscores the commitment of regional parliaments to develop measures for tracking and assessing vulnerability to drought. The plan aims to strengthen…