National News

Niël Terblanché Swakopmund has recently made strides towards addressing its critical housing shortage through a new agreement signed with the National Housing Enterprise (NHE). The innovative plan was revealed last week and aims to build 805 affordable homes within the DRC informal settlement, offering approximately 22 000 residents who currently live in shacks the hope of owning a house. Dina Namubes, the mayor of Swakopmund, while revealing the new plan, pointed to the acute need for housing solutions. Namubes indicated that the project will prioritise vulnerable groups, including the disabled, elderly, security personnel, media practitioners, and street vendors. "This initiative…

Niël Terblanché The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration is embarking on an initiative with a series of oversight visits across the northern parts of the country’s communal farming areas, aimed at revitalising the livestock sector, which is a cornerstone of the local economy. This initiative comes in response to increasing concerns over the current state and future viability of livestock marketing in these regions. The visits, scheduled to occur from 12 to 24 May, will assess facilities and market conditions and engage with a variety of stakeholders, including government officials, farmers' unions, and traditional leaders. The goal…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu said Namibia is advocating for the establishment of a nexus between the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA) According to Iipumbu, combining the two trade initiatives will be a game changer in terms of increasing the size of the market for African countries by creating an attractive environment for investment and allowing the continent to industrialise. The minister was speaking at the Invest in Namibia session at the 16th US – Africa business summit that took place on Wednesday in Dallas, Texas in…

Niël Terblanché On the occasion of International Nurses' Day, celebrated globally, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the pioneer of modern nursing, Namibia's health sector leaders took the opportunity to commend the nation's nurses for their dedication and pivotal role in healthcare. Ben Nangombe, the executive director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, praised nurses as historical angels of the health sector, urging them to maintain their reputation through love, diligence, and care in their daily responsibilities. During the event, which included a touching candle-lighting ceremony symbolising the nurses' commitment to their profession, Nangombe pointed to the essential role…