Page 346 – News Stand

23 May

OTA squabbles push Kauandenge to abandon NUDO presidential bid

info_e12wt4csNational News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The infightings between two factions of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) have forced Joseph Kauandenge to withdraw from the National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO) internal presidential race. Kauandenge, who is currently the party’s secretary-general, announced his intention to run for the party's top job a few months ago. During a press conference at Parliament on Wednesday, the musician and politician made a U-turn, announcing that he would not run for any position at the party’s upcoming elective congress scheduled for 13 July in Windhoek. “The sad situation in my beloved party is that logic, common sense, and contribution…

23 May

Rising STI cases concern health authorities

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) continue to pose significant public health challenges worldwide, causing 2.5 million deaths each year, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). The report, published earlier this week, indicates an alarming increase in sexually transmitted diseases, particularly in the Americas and African regions. Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s director-general said in the report that new data shows sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in most regions, with the highest increases occurring in the Americas and the African regions. “This trend is particularly concerning as it stresses the need for intensified…

23 May

Community threatens shutdown of traditional authority offices

info_e12wt4csNational News

Martin Endjala Residents of the Uis district in the Daures constituency in the Erongo region have threatened to shut down the Daure Daman Traditional Authority (TA) after expressing dissatisfaction with the chief’s leadership. Last year, the group petitioned the Traditional Authority and accused the Chief of the Daure Daman Traditional Authority, Sagarias Seibeb, of illegally awarding land and licenses to foreign investors for mining exploration purposes in the constituency behind closed doors. They also accused Seibeb of pushing his own political agenda to please those in his circle at the expense of community members. They have yet to receive a…

23 May

Namibian truck driver found safe after suspected hijacking in RSA

info_e12wt4csNational News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja A Namibian truck driver who went missing in South Africa earlier this week and was suspected to be a victim of hijacking has been found safe. The South African Police Services from Protea Glen Police Station found Vilho Panduleni Nyati, who drives a truck for Caribu Trading, at a service station in Soweto. The spokesperson of the Namibian Police, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi confirmed the hijacking incident. “This happened when the community in that area alerted the police that there was a man seeking assistance. So, the police alerted the embassy, and that’s how the police attaché got…

23 May

Workers dismissed for demanding a salary increase

info_e12wt4csNational News

Stefanus Nashama A sub-contractor of Refuse Solutions Brick Factory in Walvis Bay dismissed 44 of its employees last Friday after they demanded a salary increase. The director of Refuse Solutions Brick Factory, Zander Coetzee, confirmed this on Thursday. He claims that a subcontractor, who employed the workers, did not live up to Refuse Solutions Brick Factory's expectations. “We decided to terminate the services because the sub-contractor is not delivering good results for the company,” Coetzee said. He explained that the subcontractor occasionally fails to pay its employees and lacks supervision over its staff. Coetzee said his company will have a…

23 May

Government supports Meatco despite losses

info_e12wt4csMain

Ester Mbathera The Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises (MFPE) has affirmed its support for the continued operation of Meatco despite the company's ongoing financial struggles. This was said by the ministry’s spokesperson, Johnathan Swartz, in an interview with the Windhoek Observer earlier this week. “Considering the historical hurdles, it's evident that achieving profitability or breaking even will require considerable time. Just like steering a large vessel laden with cargo, swift turns are ill-advised, as they may lead to instability. Instead, a methodical approach is necessary to gradually realign its course towards success,” he said. He added that the interim…

23 May

Windhoek District Hospital at site clearing stage

info_e12wt4csFeatured, National News

Ester Mbathera The new 500-bed Windhoek District Hospital project is currently at the site clearance stage. This was said by Ben Nangombe, the executive director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, on Wednesday. Nangombe was responding to questions on which entity received the tender for the construction of the hospital after the ministry held a groundbreaking ceremony last week without handing over the contractor on site. “The tender for construction will be advertised later. Currently, the project is at the stage of site clearance, to be followed by the installation of bulk services,” he said. Many people took…

23 May

Mnyupe allays environmentalists’ fear of Green Hydrogen Project

info_e12wt4csEnergy, Main

Niël Terblanché The Green Hydrogen Commissioner of the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme, James Mnyupe, has assured that the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) will oversee the development of a Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) for the Southern Corridor Development Initiative (SCDI), which includes the TKNP. This comes after the call for an independent and transparent Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the green hydrogen sector in Namibia by the Namibian Chamber of Environment (NCE). This call was made on International Day for Biodiversity and directed at the Namibian and German governments as well as the European Union. International…

23 May

Paratus raises N$600m for expansion

info_e12wt4csObserver Money

Paratus Namibia Holdings Limited (PNH), a leading telecommunications company in Namibia, has successfully raised over N$600-million through its recent rights Issue and investment drive, which was fully subscribed. This significant capital infusion has effectively doubled the company's market capital on the Namibia Stock Exchange News (NSX). The raised capital has been sourced from a diverse group of investors, including the Paratus Group (61,9%), institutional investors (34%), Paratus employees (2,6%), and retail investors (1,5%). The funds will be strategically allocated to expand Paratus Namibia's existing offerings by enhancing its core systems and infrastructure. This investment will enable the company to adapt…

23 May

Chinese car brands making inroads

info_e12wt4csObserver Money

Both China and Sweden sold 33 vehicles each in April showing that Chinese brands are making inroads with their competitive pricing and improving quality, while Swedish brands attract consumers with their safety features and innovative designs. France's 13 vehicle sales suggest a smaller but stable market segment, whereas Indian vehicles, with 18 units sold, cater to budget-conscious buyers. English vehicles have a minimal presence, with only six units sold, indicating limited preference or availability in Namibia. No Italian vehicles were sold during this period. Simonis Storm Securities said in a report in April, vehicle sales in Namibia fell to 899…