Observer Money – Page 202

21 Jan

COVID deaths surpass 300

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Kalumbi Shangula

Staff Writer Namibia has now surpassed the 300 mark for COVID-19 related deaths after five more people succumbed to the virus. Health and Social Services (MOHSS) minister, Kalumbi Shangula, announced the latest figures on Wednesday. The five fatalities were recorded in Windhoek, Oshakati, Otjiwarongo and Walvis Bay, becoming the second highest number of deaths ever recorded in the country in a single day since the outbreak of COVID-19 last year. The increase in fatalities, comes as positive cases continue to spike, with 258 new COVID-19 confirmed cases from 1 793 results received from the laboratories in the last 24 hours.…

21 Jan

Pressure mounts on Shoprite

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCheckers, Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau), Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu), Shoprite, USave

Maria Hamutenya Pressure continues to mount on the Shoprite group over the ongoing wage saga with its workers after the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), the country’s largest union, called on its members to boycott buying from the retail giant. NUNW calls came after Labour Minister, Uutoni Nujoma, was recently reported in the media urging members of the public to stop buying from Shoprite stores until the company resolves the dispute with its employees. NUNW Secretary-General, Job Muniaro, called for “a genuine negotiation between Shoprite and its workers.” “We call for international support even from countries that have Shoprite…

21 Jan

ACC not investigating Defence Ministry

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyACC’s Director General Paulus Noa, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Minister of Defence Peter Vilho

Maria Hamutenya and Andrew Kathindi The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has said its not investigating any allegations of corruption at the Defence Ministry, including allegations of a shady N$10 million hand sanitizer deal, as no one has come forth with information. Windhoek Mayor Job Amupanda has raised various corruption allegations against Minister of Defence, Peter Vilho, including his alleged approval of a tender to supply the ministry with hand sanitiser worth N$10 million. ACC’s Director General, Paulus Noa, told Windhoek Observer that his office has not looked into the case. “We are not aware of any allegations made towards the Minister…

20 Jan

Political parties shy away from Shoprite saga

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyImms Nashinge, Independent Patriot for Change Spokesperson, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Shoprite

Maria Hamutenya Namibian political parties continue to shy away from the on-going labour dispute pitting South African retail giant, Shoprite, against its Namibian workers. The labour dispute has been dragging for years, and the current strike which started last December last year, have now spilled over into the High Court. The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), the country’s official opposition party was diplomatic in its position on the matter, calling on the parties to sit down and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. “PDM wants to put it on record that any loss of jobs resulting from a continued stalemate between NAFAU…

20 Jan

No guarantee on Pfizer drug: Shangula

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyMinistry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), Pfizer

Andrew Kathindi The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) said there is no guarantee that no one will die after receiving the Pfizer vaccine. Shangula said this after 33 people in Norway died after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine last week. “Each body reacts in its own way according to its makeup, it’s not something which you can predict,” Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula told Windhoek Observer. “You can have a completely healthy person without anything, get injected and immediately a reaction starts. It’s just like an allergic reaction to Penicillin or any other drug.” The Pfizer vaccine, which is…

19 Jan

Namibia in record COVID deaths

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), Oshakati, Rundu, Swakopmund

Staff Writer A record eight people died from COVID-19 in one day, bringing the country’s related deaths to 293, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS) announced on Monday. According to the ministry, four of the deaths announced, are from Oshakati district, two from Windhoek district, and one each from the districts pf Swakopmund and Rundu. New 390 COVID-19 cases were confirmed from 2 034 results received from the laboratories in the last twenty-four (24) hours, a position that saw the country cumulative confirmed cases breaching the 30 000 mark at 30 753. In the confirmed cases, 29 are…

19 Jan

Affidavit does not link Geingob to ‘Fishrot’ scandal: former Acting Judge

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyMarén de Klerk, president Hage Geingob, Sacky Shanghala

Staff reporter Windhoek-based lawyer and former Acting High Court Judge, Kaijata Kangueehi, has said that President Hage Geingob’s name being mentioned in Maren de Klerk’s affidavit does not link the head of state to the ‘Fishrot’ scandal. This comes after President Hage Geingob was named in lawyer Maren de Klerk’s affidavit, when he was referred to by James Hatuikulipi and former minister of justice Sacky Shanghala, as the “Boss” for whom certain payments were to be processed. “The whole affidavit is riddled with a lot of hearsay evidence. The investigating authority failed to seek confirmatory affidavits, which renders this affidavit…

15 Jan

Hardap prisoners, officers in jailhouse battle

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCommissioner General Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela, Covid-19, Namibian Correctional Services (NCS), Namibian Police Force

Details have emerged how the Namibian Police Force on Tuesday had to be called in to assist the Namibian Correctional Services (NCS) quell a prison fight that had broken out between inmates and prison officials at the Hardap correctional facility. According to insiders, it took more than six hours for the police and correctional officers to bring back order to the prison facility that houses over 250 inmates. The commotion is alleged to have been caused by demands by the correctional officers to carry out a routine search while prisoners were in the yard, where they converge when released from…

15 Jan

PM roped into Shoprite saga

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCheckers, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation Utoni Nujoma, Minister of Labour, Nafau, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa, Shoprite, USave

Andrew Kathindi The Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa has been dragged into the on-going Shoprite saga after Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAU) leadership has been in consultation with the Prime Minister over the matter, Windhoek Observer can reveal According to sources close to the matter, the NAFAU leadership have been in meetings over the last two days with the Prime Minister along with the Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation Utoni Nujoma, to try and resolve the matter. The development forced the Shoprite representative and NAFAU to meet on Thursday 14 January at the office of the…

14 Jan

COVID regulations extended . . .as virus variant suspicions surge

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula

Andrew Kathindi The government has extended the date for enactment of measures currently in place to control the spread of COVID-19 to 3 February. Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula admitted that the situation has worsened since his last address to the nation on 23 December 2020. In the Tuesday address, restrictions such as the daily curfew from 9pm to 4am, public gatherings being limited to a maximum of 50 were retained. Public gatherings are now, however, are not allowed to go beyond two hours and shall not continue beyond 8pm. The minister also revealed that there is…