Page 308 – Windhoek Observer

08 Jul

14-year Bondelswarts dispute deepens as funds vanish

National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Bondelswarts Heritage Foundation has called for an urgent investigation into the Bondelswarts Chief Council, citing financial irregularities, a disputed leadership, and the neglect of key communal assets in Warmbad. The Foundation said in a recent statement that internal leadership disputes have paralysed the community since the death of Captain Anna Katriena Christiaan in 2011. “The continued secrecy, disputes, and neglect cannot be tolerated any longer,” said Foundation founder Mathew Veldskoen. The Foundation alleges that the Chief Council, led by Senior Traditional Councillor Hans Jossob, operates without transparency and excludes the Christiaan Royal House from community decisions. It…

08 Jul

Police uncertain of suspect count in Lafrenz robbery

National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Namibian Police say they are still uncertain how many suspects were involved in the armed robbery at the Lafrenz TotalEnergies service station, where over N$560,000 was stolen last week. “There is a bit of a contradiction. Some witnesses say there were three suspects, others say four or even five. Until we get them all, we won’t know how many people were involved,” deputy commissioner Chrispin Mubebo told the Windhoek Observer. The robbery happened on Wednesday at around 11h00, when armed suspects confronted Southern Cross security officers who were offloading cash for a Standard Bank ATM. The suspects…

08 Jul

MPs challenge NamPower over electricity tariffs

National News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Swapo member of parliament and chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on natural resources, Tobie Aupindi, has questioned NamPower’s strategy of raising electricity tariffs every year. He urged the utility's management to prioritise the well-being of Namibians over profit. Aupindi made the remarks during a consultative meeting held on Tuesday between the parliamentary standing committees on economy and industry, public administration and planning, and the productivity task force on energy in Namibia. He said electricity in the country has become too expensive and is hurting ordinary people who are already struggling to afford basic needs. He linked the…

08 Jul

Businesses tap brakes on borrowing

Observer Money

Justicia Shipena Businesses in Namibia are showing more caution in their borrowing activity, with corporate credit growth continuing to slow in May 2025. According to Simonis Storm’s latest Private Sector Credit Extension report, companies are becoming more deliberate in their financing decisions amid a complex economic environment. The total corporate debt stock rose slightly to N$50 billion in May, up from N$49.5 billion in April. However, the annual growth rate declined to 6.5%, compared to 7.1% in the previous month. Simonis Storm noted that this moderation was driven by net repayments and lower uptake across key lending categories. “Companies are…

08 Jul

Green investment talks set for Walvis Bay

Observer Money

Justicia Shipena Policymakers and energy leaders from six African countries will convene in Walvis Bay this week for the Namibia Parliamentary Green Investment Dialogue. The four-day regional event, running from Thursday through Sunday, will focus on mobilising climate finance for green energy development. The dialogue will bring together delegations from Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The event is hosted by the Climate Parliament and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), with support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). It marks the final leg in a series of regional dialogues held under the Parliamentarians for Climate Finance project,…

08 Jul

Green investment talks set for Walvis Bay

Observer Money

Justicia Shipena Policymakers and energy leaders from six African countries will convene in Walvis Bay this week for the Namibia Parliamentary Green Investment Dialogue. The four-day regional event, running from Thursday through Sunday, will focus on mobilising climate finance for green energy development. The dialogue will bring together delegations from Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The event is hosted by the Climate Parliament and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), with support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). It marks the final leg in a series of regional dialogues held under the Parliamentarians for Climate Finance project,…

08 Jul

Top NIPDB investment executive to exit end of July

Observer Money

Justicia Shipena The executive for investment at the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), François van Schalkwyk, will be stepping down from his position. The NIPDB announced on Tuesday that his last working day will be 31 July 2025. NIPDB senior manager for marketing, branding, and communications, Catherine Shipushu, said that after more than four years at the institution, Van Schalkwyk has decided to pursue other interests and relocate to the United Kingdom to spend more time with his young family. Van Schalkwyk joined the NIPDB as one of its first employees and played a key role in shaping…

08 Jul

AC Boxing Stable turns 10

Featured, Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Boxing promoter Immanuel Moses, known as African Connection (AC), says he built the AC Boxing Stable from scratch without any assistance. He says he did it not for profit but to help children chase their dreams of becoming professional boxers. The AC Boxing Stable celebrates its ten-year anniversary this week. Despite reaching this milestone, Moses says he still struggles to secure long-term sponsorship and continues to run and fund the stable himself. “Ten years. No sponsors, just heart. For almost a decade, I’ve poured my own time, money, and energy into building something bigger than myself, a boxing…

08 Jul

NaCC rules Cheetah-Ohorongo deal a no-go

MainNaCC rules Cheetah-Ohorongo deal a no-go

Justicia Shipena The Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) has blocked the proposed merger between Whale Rock Cement, trading as Cheetah Cement, and Schwenk Namibia, the parent company of Ohorongo Cement. The decision was announced on Friday, 4 July 2025, following an investigation into the acquisition filed on 17 February 2025. Whale Rock Cement had applied to acquire the entire issued share capital in Schwenk Namibia from Schwenk Zement International GmbH & Co. KG. Whale Rock Cement owns and operates a cement plant near Otjiwarongo and supplies the domestic market under the Cheetah Cement brand. Schwenk Namibia holds a controlling interest in…

08 Jul

Ombudsman asked to probe police conduct in Hengari case

National NewsMac-Albert Hengari, Simon Hanga.

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Office of the Ombudsman has been asked to investigate alleged misconduct by police officers in the criminal case involving former minister Mac-Albert Hengari and his co-accused Simon Hanga. In a sworn statement dated 2 July, Hanga claimed he was unlawfully arrested and detained after arriving in Namibia from Germany in April. He said police pressured him to falsely implicate Hengari in exchange for his release. Hanga submitted the complaint to Ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha and also sent copies to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the prosecutor general, and the inspector general of the Namibian Police. “I am being unlawfully…