Page 261 – News Stand

10 Sep

Namibia and Botswana slash roaming charges

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché In an effort to enhance regional cooperation and reduce communication costs, Namibia and Botswana have announced a major reduction in roaming charges for cross-border communication. Calls within Botswana that previously cost Botswana Pula (BWP) 7.28 per minute will now be reduced to BWP1.85 per minute, a decrease of 75%. Similarly, calls to Namibia have dropped by 64%, from BWP10.48 to BWP3.80 per minute. Data usage costs have seen even greater reductions, with the cost per megabyte dropping by over 90%, from BWP19.41 to BWP1.85. This development follows high-level discussions between Namibia’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT)…

10 Sep

Gobabis residents threaten legal action over petition snub

info_e12wt4csNational News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The residents of Gobabis are threatening to take the municipality to court if their petition, which has been ignored for more than ten years, is not addressed. Community activist Veronia Mokaleng-Kuzeeko said the residents are growing frustrated with the lack of response from the municipality to several petitions submitted over the years. “We plan to take them to court because it’s been over ten years now that they are refusing to respond to our petitions. The municipality doesn’t even give us basic services. All that is there are issues of corruption. We cannot continue to organise demonstrations, and…

10 Sep

Namibians need to shift to a mindset of green industrialisation

info_e12wt4csNational NewsGlobal African Hydrogen Summit, Green Hydrogen Business Alliance (H2BA)

Ester Mbathera and Martin Endjala A recent study has recommended that Namibia needs to adopt a green industrialisation mindset across the policymaking landscape, encouraging a shift from traditional approaches. The report titled "Localising Green Industries in Namibia" was commissioned by the Green Hydrogen Business Alliance (H2BA) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and it was prepared by Systemiq between December 2023 and May 2024. The study was conducted at the request of Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and Ministry of Industrialization and Trade (MIT), with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für…

10 Sep

Government defends animal culling initiative

info_e12wt4csNational NewsMEFT, Office of the Prime Minister

Niël Terblanché The government is facing mounting public concern following its announcement to cull 723 wild animals as part of an effort to manage drought relief and human-wildlife conflict in the country’s national parks and communal areas. On Tuesday, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) stated that the Drought Relief Programme is a secondary offtake beneficiary of the ministry's wildlife conservation management initiative, clarifying that responsibility for the culling operation lies with the MEFT. The OPM urged those with further queries on the culling process to direct them to the MEFT, stressing that the office is merely facilitating the…

10 Sep

BoN pledges to address soaring banking fees

info_e12wt4csNational NewsBank of Namibia, Dina //Gowases, Sandra Garises

Martin Endjala The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has committed to addressing the country's concerns about high banking charges amid public outcry. Sandra Garises, the bank’s acting spokesperson, told the Windhoek Observer last week that the bank is aware of the public outcry concerning high banking charges. “The bank is aware of the nationwide outcry about fees and charges and as the regulator of banking institutions, the bank has an obligation to ensure that fees and charges payable by customers for services rendered by banking institutions are determined in the public interest and are proportionate with the cost incurred in providing…

10 Sep

Botswana advocates for a single digital market with Namibia

info_e12wt4csNational NewsICT summit, Thulagano Segokgo

Niël Terblanché Namibia and Botswana hope to pave the way for a digitally interconnected future that will support sustainable economic growth and social development across the southern African region. In an address as a guest of honour at the ICT summit currently underway in Windhoek, Botswana’s minister of communications, knowledge and technology, Thulagano Segokgo, emphasised the potential for Botswana and Namibia to create a single digital market. He said that such a market would promote greater trade in digital products and services between the two nations and increase their global reach through shared digital infrastructure. Segokgo reiterated that this collaboration…

10 Sep

500 African captains of industry convene in Windhoek

info_e12wt4csFeatured, National NewsACFTA, AU MSMEs, NIPDB

Hilarius Hamutenya Over 500 African industry leaders, policymakers, and small businesses are gathering in Windhoek for the third Annual Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (AU MSMEs) forum to foster innovation and enhance capacity. The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development (NIPDB) is hosting the event, which will run until Friday under the theme 'Fostering financial empowerment and educational innovation for African startups'. The four-day summit will include various activities aimed at equipping MSMEs with the information and skills needed to trade and boost intra-African trade under ACFTA. Mathew Kaholongo, the director at the Cabinet’s secretariat under the office of the Prime…

10 Sep

Powering Africa’s growth: The untapped potential of SME insurance for economic prosperity

info_e12wt4csOpinionsSmall and Medium Enterprises

Sam Kauapirura At the heart of Africa's economic landscape lies a vibrant tapestry of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), each contributing to the continent's dynamic growth and innovation. These businesses, often operating with limited resources, are the lifeblood of our economies, fostering job creation, innovation, and economic stability. However, SMEs are frequently exposed to a myriad of risks that can impede their progress. Here, the solution is clear—SME insurance. SME insurance offers a suite of tailored insurance products designed to safeguard small and medium-sized businesses from financial setbacks caused by unforeseen events. These policies encompass a wide range of perils,…

10 Sep

Tutjavi balances education and politics

info_e12wt4csNational NewsTutjavi balances education and politics

Ester Mbathera Fenny Tutjavi, at just 22 years old, who hails from the Erongo Region, was one of the youngest candidates under the leadership of Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and made history this week by being elected to the Swapo Party’s parliamentary list. Her inclusion on the list came during the Swapo Party’s electoral college on Monday, where she was named among 10 appointees by the party’s vice president. Despite the high expectations that come with parliamentary duties, she is determined to balance her new political role with her academic goals. “I am going to commit to my study. Because, as a…

09 Sep

‘Our democracy will not be sold’ – Netumbo

info_e12wt4csMainDemocracy on Sale

Ester Mbathera Swapo Party vice president and presidential candidate for the 2024 elections, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has defended her party’s recent fundraising campaign, which raised over N$16 million at a gala dinner. This came in response to media headlines labelling the event as "Democracy on Sale." Speaking on Monday after the party's electoral college, also known as the POT, Nandi-Ndaitwah questioned the media's portrayal of the event, saying that the party operates transparently. “We are a democratic and open party. We organised our gala dinner and people transparently, willingly came, and they made those donations,” she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah questioned why the…