Page 236 – Windhoek Observer

05 Jan

Namibia takes centre stage at ConGen

National News

Mallex Shipanga The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) will host ConGen Global 2025 at its research centre in Otjiwarongo from 5 to 15 January. The nine-day conference centres around the most recent advances in conservation genetics, particularly the use of genomic technologies to conserve biodiversity. Participants of the conference will learn the latest applications, interpretations, and methods of molecular genetic analyses for the conservation of endangered species. According to the organisers, the course will host 25 to 30 students, with emphasis on students from African countries as well as 15 to 20 faculty from around the world. Lessons will be learnt…

05 Jan

Divundu Village Council plans to construct a truck port to boost trade

National News

Martin Endjala The Divundu Village Council is planning to establish a corridor truck port to serve as a key terminal for the Kavango West, Kavango East, and Zambezi regions. The facility is expected to cater to trucks transporting goods to countries such as Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer, Divundu Village Council Chairperson Katoyima Kupembona outlined the council’s vision for this ambitious project. “Divundu is well-positioned to have such a state-of-the-art port. But to pull this off, we as a council are engaging various stakeholders to come on board to look at ways…

05 Jan

Grape industry booms while workers struggle at Aussenkehr

National News

Martin Endjala National Council member, Paulus Mbangu has called on investors in the table grape industry to ensure their workers are provided with decent accommodation, emphasising the potential reputational risks of poor labour practices. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer over the weekend, Mbangu raised concerns about the living conditions of workers living in the informal settlement at Aussenkehr. He highlighted last year’s devastating fire which destroyed 72 reed houses, as an example of the dangers posed by inadequate housing. “No customer wants to associate themselves with a business with bad news or bad labour practices,” he said. Mbangu’s comments follow…

05 Jan

LPM joins IPC in court challenge to nullify Presidential and National Assembly elections

National News

Niël Terblanché The fallout from Namibia’s 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections continues to deepen, with legal battles underway to contest or defend the integrity of the process. At the centre of the controversy are challenges led by the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) and the Landless People’s Movement (LPM). LPM President Bernadus Swartbooi has filed a notice of motion to the Electoral Court in which he requests to join the IPC’s leader, Panduleni Itula’s legal challenge to the election results. Swartbooi is alleging that the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) and President Nangolo Mbumba acted unlawfully in extending the…

05 Jan

Senior secondary certificate exam results available next week

National News

Niël Terblanché Learners, teachers, and families across Namibia waiting for the results of the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) and Advanced Subsidiary (NSSCAS) Levels will be able to access it next Tuesday (14 January). The executive director of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, last week said the announcement is the conclusion of the examination cycle. Steenkamp also expressed satisfaction over the good progress made with marking and data processing. According to Steenkamp, the results will be accessible through multiple platforms, including the ministry’s website, SMS services, and print media. She urged candidates to have their…

05 Jan

Telecom technicians brave adverse weather to restore connectivity

Observer Money

Niël Terblanché Technicians of Telecom Namibia were lauded for their swift and professional response to a fibre link outage caused by heavy rainfall over the weekend. The incident on Saturday, which affected the vital Okahandja-Karibib fibre link, disrupted connectivity in the area, prompting an immediate response from the company's technical team. In a statement, Telecom said the outage occurred following torrential rains that caused significant damage to the fibre infrastructure. According to the statement, technicians had to brave chest-high floodwaters in the relentless downpour to complete their task. Despite these challenges, the team managed to locate and repair the fault,…

05 Jan

NFA prepares for 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers

Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Namibia Football Association (NFA) has called 51 under-17 girls for trials in preparation for the 9th edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025. The tournament will be held for the first time on the African continent in Morocco from 17 October to 8 November. NFA spokesperson Isack Hamata confirmed that training for the team starts on Monday as Namibia is set to face Uganda on 16 and 19 January. The players called to report for training include goalkeepers Useovi Mbaha and Julia Shambara, all from the Khomas region, and Ningira Kavezeri, from the Omaheke region.…

19 Dec

Airtime galore at #Telecomleaks; ‘N$100 000 here, N$64 700 there’

Main

Ester Mbathera A customer received N$100 000 airtime fraudulently from an employee of the national telecommunications operator, the Telecom leaked document reveals. The company's internal risk audit, which examined the top 100 transactions, revealed these findings. The national telecommunications operation was hacked of 493 000 documents valued at N$5,4 billion (U$300 million). The head of internal audit and risk management, Kgomotso Hochobeb, made Telecom chief executive officer (CEO) Stanley Shanapinda aware of these fraudulent discrepancies. The N$100 000 airtime transaction could not be explained when it was picked up. “A balance of N$100 000.00 was credited to a customer’s account…

19 Dec

Mbumba recognises removal of Uukwangali “Hompa”

National News

Allexer Namundjembo In a proclamation issued in the Government Gazette dated October 15, President Nangolo Mbumba exercised his powers to recognise the removal of the Uukwangali traditional leader, or "Hompa." “Under the powers vested in me by section 8 (4) of the traditional Authoritative Act, 2000 (Act. No. 25 of 2000), I recognised the removal from office of the person in respect of whom the particulars are set out in the schedule, as chief of the traditional community as per the High Court judgement” the proclamation reads. Hompa Eugen Siwombe Kudumo, who served the Uukwangali Traditional Authority (UTA), was removed…

19 Dec

Horse mackerel and small pelagics survey reveals declining trends

National News

Ester Mbathera Namibia’s marine resources face increasing challenges, as the 2024 Horse Mackerel and Small Pelagic Survey revealed an 8% decline in horse mackerel biomass, a fragile recovery for sardines, and operational setbacks worsened by environmental anomalies. The survey, conducted between 25 March and 22 April along the northern Benguela ecosystem, assessed species abundance, biomass, and distribution to guide sustainable fishing practices for the 2025 season. The findings were presented last Wednesday during the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) held in Walvis Bay. The Ocean Panel brought together representatives from 19 nations as a coalition of…