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Martin Endjala The Namibian Competition Commission has discovered alleged anti-competitive behaviour in the automotive industry. This comes after the Commission finalised its investigation into the automotive industry against various Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), referred to as vehicle dealerships and panel beaters which commenced in September 2018, in terms of Section 33 of the Competition Act No. 2 of 2003. This was disclosed by the Commission’s report released last week. According to the report, the Commission’s investigation found that restrictive vertical distribution agreements/concerted practices and or territorial restrictions between OEMs and vehicle dealerships exist in the distribution of vehicles in Namibia.…

Martin Endjala The chief executive officer of the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), Nangula Uaandja, has urged businesses to look beyond the country’s borders in order to increase their clientele. Uaandja was responding to questions following a notice by the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade requesting samples of Namibian products and promotional materials. These items will be distributed to Namibian missions, consulates, and embassies, as well as high commissions abroad. “Given the small size of the domestic market, it is essential for Namibian businesses to look beyond our borders. By targeting just 0.01% of this vast market, Namibian…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The leader of the official opposition in Parliament, McHenry Venaani, has advised President Nangolo Mbumba and the government to establish a Water Commission to oversee the management of water resources. He made the call on Monday during a press briefing where he addressed various issues affecting the country. “A Namibian Water Commission would not only ensure resource conservation as well as the management of water resources, ensuring that they are used efficiently and equitably. It would also facilitate a coordinated response to water shortages, including drought management and emergency relief efforts and support research into sustainable water practices…

Niël Terblanché Deepsea Consolidated Investments donated six metric tons of salt-dried fish towards the government’s drought relief effort. John Mutorwa, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Transport, expressed profound gratitude to Deepsea Consolidated Investments for the donation on Monday. “This act of generosity is a demonstration of the collaborative spirit required to combat the challenges caused by natural disasters,” he said. This is the latest donation towards drought relief activities. The government's Drought Relief Programme, running from July 2024 to June 2025, is a comprehensive initiative aimed at providing immediate relief and long-term solutions to mitigate the…

Niël Terblanché The Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) announced a scheduled service interruption of the Namibia Livestock Identification and Traceability System (NamLITS) from 23 to 27 August. The acting director of the DVS, Dr. Johannes Shoopala, informed all users in a special notice issued on Monday that the maintenance work will affect several services rendered by the DVS and the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN). “This downtime is due to essential maintenance of NamLITS hardware,” he said. Shoopala added that services such as the issuance of livestock…

Ester Mbathera Paulus Ngalangi, the former group general manager of finance at Seaflower Whitefish Corporation Limited, has announced plans to expose alleged police misconduct in the Phala Phala cash-in-the-couch saga. Ngalangi confirmed this to the Windhoek Observer on Friday. “Soon, I will demonstrate how the police facilitated the illegal border crossing of Immanuela David and allowed him to travel all the way through to Windhoek, an individual accused in the Phala Phala farm burglary, under the directives of Police Commissioner Nelius Becker,” said Ngalangi. He also claims that the media received false information in an attempt to hide the incident.…

Niël Terblanché The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide an additional N$90 million in humanitarian assistance to support drought-affected people in Namibia. Randy Berry, the U.S. Ambassador to Namibia, made the announcement during a meeting with President Nangolo Mbumba at State House last week. According to a statement released by the U.S. embassy in Windhoek, Berry said that the funding aims to alleviate the impacts of the El Niño-induced drought that has severely affected Namibia's food security and agricultural productivity. He indicated that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has received a portion of the funds, roughly…