Page 305 – News Stand

20 Aug

MUN accuses Swakop Uranium of undermining workers’ rights

info_e12wt4csNational NewsMineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN), Phillipus George Ampweya

Niël Terblanché The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) has strongly condemned what it describes as a calculated attempt by Swakop Uranium’s management to undermine the union's independence and integrity. Phillipus George Ampweya, the union’s general secretary, accused the company of engaging in union-busting activities that violate both the Namibian Labour Act and the fundamental principles of democratic industrial relations. In a statement, Ampweya expressed grave concerns over Swakop Uranium's alleged interference in the union's internal processes, labelling it a direct attack on the union's inherent organisational rights. Ampweya claimed that by instructing the national structure on how to restructure the…

20 Aug

Windhoek city bins out of sight

info_e12wt4csNational News

Hilarius Hamutenya Pedestrians in Windhoek's city centre find themselves burdened by their own waste as they navigate streets where dustbins are either out of sight or overflowing. On Independence Avenue, from Sam Nujoma Avenue to John Meinert Street, about 20 small black dustbins are attached to streetlight poles. However, these bins are often inadequate for the volume of waste generated. The Windhoek Observer has observed that the five red bins from Rent-A-Drum are only collected twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. This infrequent collection leaves the streets littered with trash, as the limited number of bins quickly fill up.…

20 Aug

Windhoek taps running dry

info_e12wt4csNational NewsWater shortage crisis

Martin Endjala The City of Windhoek is not currently in a water shortage crisis, but it is grappling with an imminent water security issue due to low rainfall. According to the city’s chief executive officer, Moses Matyayi, the city's water supply heavily depends on dams filled by seasonal rains, and inadequate rainfall has strained the water reserves. He said that, as a result, NamWater, which is the city's primary water supplier, is unable to adequately supply enough water. He added that the city now needs to find ways and means to cope with the current water shortage. “So what we…

20 Aug

Dippenaar set to hear his fate on Friday

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché Jandre Dippenaar, who was convicted on, amongst others, six counts of murder in the Swakopmund Regional Court in June, will have to wait until Friday to hear what his eventual fate concerning his sentencing would be. Magistrate Gaynor Paulton, in her judgement delivered in June, also found Dippenaar guilty of one count of reckless and negligent driving and a count of driving a vehicle without a valid driver’s license. The guilty verdict stems from a horrific motor vehicle accident on 29 December 2014, near Henties Bay, in which six people lost their lives. Three of the deceased persons,…

20 Aug

Afrobarometer defends elections survey results amid political backlash

info_e12wt4csNational NewsAfrobarometer team, Christie Keulder

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Afrobarometer's representative in Namibia, Christie Keulder, has clarified that their survey on the outcome of the November elections was conducted with a specific focus on democracy and governance. He clarified that people should not mistake the results of an election opinion poll for actual election results. Keulder made this statement on Tuesday in response to media reports where local politicians questioned the credibility of the survey and dismissed it as a meaningless poll that does not reflect the political reality in Namibia. He said Afrobarometer is a Pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African…

20 Aug

MoHSS intensifies Mpox preparedness

info_e12wt4csNational NewsMinistry of Health and Social Services, World Health Organization

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) announced that it has intensified its surveillance and preparedness measures in response to the declaration last week of Mpox as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO). This declaration followed the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) classifying Mpox as a public health emergency of continental security which called for urgent coordinated public health responses across the continent. Ben Nangombe, the executive director of MoHSS in a statement on Tuesday, said that Namibia has not yet detected any suspected or confirmed…

20 Aug

Nguvauva refutes claims of brawling at Omaheke Swapo meeting

info_e12wt4csNational NewsBianca Van Wyk, Rocco Nguvauva

Stefanus Nashama The Regional Councillor of the Okorukambe Constituency, Rocco Nguvauva, claims that the allegations of physical assault and beating against the former Omaheke governor, Festus Ueitele, made by the former Omaheke Swapo Women's League regional coordinator, Bianca Van Wyk, are baseless. On Friday, Nguvauva accused Van Wyk of being hired to disrupt the process of restructuring the leadership of the Okorukambe branch. ‘’I must bear witness here that the lady who claimed to be beaten by the former governor, her claims don't hold water at all and are those people who are hired to come disrupt the peaceful process…

20 Aug

Construction of Capricorn Group sustainable building commenced

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCapricorn Group, David Nuyoma, Johan Swanepoel

Martin Endjala The Capricorn Group held the groundbreaking ceremony for the start of construction on a new office building in Windhoek's central business district on Tuesday. The group's chief executive officer, David Nuyoma, said the development is designed to reflect the group's four-decade legacy while accommodating over 200 employees and addressing the growing need for office and parking space. “It represents the group’s commitment to contributing meaningfully to the rich heritage and renewal,” he said. The Capricorn Group building, which houses its subsidiary bank, Bank of Windhoek, will be next to the building at the corner of Independence Avenue and…

20 Aug

GIPF will aim to enhance member wellness during OATF

info_e12wt4csNational NewsGovernment Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF), Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair

Niël Terblanché The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) announced its participation in the upcoming Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF), which will take place from 23 to 31, 2024 and aims to enhance member experience and improve stakeholder engagement. According to Edwin Tjiramba, the GIPF’s General Manager of Marketing and Stakeholder Engagement, the Fund will provide a broad range of services to its members, pensioners, and beneficiaries during the trade fair. “These services include biometric enrolment and verification, updates on membership status, information on pension benefits, claim procedures, and assistance with submission and claims status,” he said in a statement issued…

20 Aug

Equality at the Olympics: Can Media Replicate?

info_e12wt4csOpinionsParis 2024 Olympic and Paralympic

Yemisi Akinbobola The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games saw a historic 50:50 representation . To show just how far we’ve come, compare it with 2.2% female representation among athletes in the 1900 Olympics. Whilst we celebrate this achievement with the world, unfortunately, gender eligibility was the issue that dominated the headlines, resulting in a barrage of online attacks on Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. Khelif’s story is not new to the experiences of African women athletes. Women like Caster Semenya (South Africa), Beatrice Masilingi (Namibia), Aminatou Seyni (Niger), Annet Negesa (Uganda) and Maximila Imali (Kenya) have all been prevented from…