National News – Page 252

09 May

Walvis Bay Council puts hold on suspensions

info_e12wt4csNational News

Ester Mbathera The municipal council of Walvis Bay requested the chief executive officer to put on hold the suspension of the town’s general manager for finance and the manager of finance following a council resolution on Tuesday. Frans !Gonteb and Johana Shidute were suspended on Wednesday morning to allow for a full investigation into the appointment of RedForce Debt Management CC to assist the municipality collect outstanding debt. In a letter to the acting CEO, John Esterhuizen, the mayor, Trevino Forbes, acknowledged that they had not followed the proper procedure for the suspension of the two office bearers. “The Ministry…

09 May

Katutura ratepayers threaten CoW with court action

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Martin Endjala Katutura Ratepayers, through their legal representative, Henry Shimutwikeni and Co. Inc., have threatened to take the City of Windhoek (CoW) to the High Court for alleged violations of the Local Authority Act. In a letter dated 8 May, seen by the Windhoek Observer, the ratepayers have given CoW the right to respond to its demands before or on 24 May. The ratepayers are accusing CoW of allegedly using the practice of estimating water usage as opposed to measuring and reading ratepayers' actual water consumption, whose rates are currently set at N$47.18 per kilolitre for domestic usage as per…

09 May

Namdock backpedals on mass disciplinary hearings

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché In a recent turn of events, Namibia Drydock and Ship Repair (Pty) Ltd. (Namdock) has postponed its planned mass disciplinary hearings following a formidable challenge by the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (MANWU), represented by Metcalfe Beukes Attorneys. The planned mass disciplinary hearings stem from the first week in April when employees of Namibia’s premier provider of marine engineering solutions downed tools in protest of the company’s decision to change their working conditions without any prior notice. Initially set for May 10 and May 13, 2024, the hearings were intended to address allegations against a total of…

08 May

Border delimitation consultation underway amidst election preparations

info_e12wt4csNational NewsPetrus Unengu

Niël Terblanché The Namibian Boundaries Delimitation and Demarcation Commission, chaired by acting Judge Petrus Unengu, has embarked on a nationwide tour to demonstrate the government’s commitment to accurate and democratic electoral processes. The commission is currently in the process of conducting consultations and technical assessments in the various regions of Namibia, and in this regard, the government has urged all stakeholders, from community leaders to ordinary citizens, to cooperate and contribute to this essential national endeavour. The nationwide tour aims to ensure that the upcoming electoral processes are both fair and reflective of the nation's current state. The commission's national…

08 May

Police station commander of Leonardville arrested for stock theft

info_e12wt4csNational NewsUrsula Binga

Hertta-Maria Amutenja An investigation into an incident of stock theft led to the arrest of Inspector Ursula Binga, the commander of Leonardville police station and wife of Gobabis local authority councillor Sylvester Binga. Inspector Binga was arrested on Monday for allegedly taking sheep that were meant to be in police custody for her personal use. Commissioner Andreas Haingura, the Omaheke Regional Police Commander, confirmed the arrest. Reports suggest that Binga was arrested two weeks after the case was registered, raising concerns about abuse of power within law enforcement. She allegedly used her authority, even enlisting the assistance of senior commanders,…

08 May

City of Windhoek and MTC join forces to fight crime

info_e12wt4csNational NewsCity of Windhoek and MTC

Martin Endjala The City of Windhoek and MTC have cemented a strategic partnership aimed at deploying cutting-edge technology to assist the Windhoek City Police in preventing crime. The agreement was signed on Tuesday. MTC pledged its support for the city police by procuring Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and supporting equipment as well as assisting with the installation thereof. MTC managing director, Licky Erastus emphasised the role of technology in addressing societal challenges and advancing national development agendas. “The challenges that face society today require smart partnerships, the embrace of relevant technologies, and innovative approaches to solving them. Crime affects…

08 May

Redforce deal leads to suspensions at Walvis Bay municipality

info_e12wt4csNational NewsFrans !Gonteb

Ester Mbathera The Walvis Bay municipality has suspended the finance general manager, Frans !Gonteb and Johanna Shidute, the manager for revenue and credit control. !Gonteb confirmed his suspension and added: "Yes, it's true, but I didn't get a letter yet. When I came to the office this morning, the acting chief executive told me in a very nice manner to go home because they decided as such yesterday.” He claimed to have received information that his suspicion stemmed from the Redforce Debt Management appointment to assist the municipality in collecting outstanding debt. In the local authority structures, procurement starts with…

07 May

NamPower secures over N$2 billion for transmission projects

info_e12wt4csNational NewsKahenge Haulofu

Martin Endjala NamPower received N$2.6 billion in World Bank funding to expand its transmission network which would enable it to integrate renewable energy into the national grid. This is the first-ever World Bank-financed energy project for Namibia and was approved on 6 May. The Transmission Expansion and Energy Storage (TEES) Project aims to improve the reliability of the country’s transmission network and enable increased integration of renewable energy into the country’s electricity system. NamPower’s managing director, Kahenge Haulofu, announced this on Monday in Windhoek. He said he welcomes the project's approval as a significant milestone in developing the approximately 465-kilometre…

07 May

Walvis Bay handled imports worth N$5.1 billion

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Niël Terblanché Walvis Bay continues to expand its role as a logistics hub in regional and global markets, while also focusing on the enhancement of port facilities and operational efficiencies to leverage Namibia's geographical and infrastructural advantages. As a result, Namibia's principal maritime gateway has successfully handled imports valued at N$5.1 billion, which is evidence of its critical role in the nation's trade infrastructure. According to a recent report by Simonis Storm Securities, Namibia's unique position as a nation free from load shedding, which enables uninterrupted operations and the smooth transition of goods through its facilities, magnifies the port's strategic…

07 May

Shadikongoro Green Scheme sets sights on cooking oil production

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Niël Terblanché The Shadikongoro Green Scheme Irrigation Project in Namibia has reported an income of N$7 million from the latest cropping season. Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, announced the achievement earlier this week. While on a visit to the project, Nghituwamata, along with other top ministry officials and a representative from the United Nations World Food Programme, shared exciting plans for the local processing of sunflower seeds into cooking oil. In 2010, the Shadikongoro project, located approximately 180 kilometres east of Rundu in the Mukwe Constituency of the Kavango East Region,…