Page 42 – News Stand

13 Mar

Twaloloka residents face eviction amid corruption scandal

info_e12wt4csNational News

Allexer Namundjembo Some people who were allocated houses at the Twaloloka residential area in Walvis Bay following the 2020 fire, are facing eviction. This comes amid ongoing allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the project. A letter served to some residents, authored by Wilhelm Amukoto on behalf of the government attorney and seen by the Windhoek Observer, demands that the occupants vacate the houses within hours. “We herein demand that you and anyone else unlawfully occupying the property vacate the property within seven (7) working hours,” the eviction letter reads. The eviction has sparked outrage, with many questioning how the…

13 Mar

Mbumba bids farewell to State House staff

info_e12wt4csNational News

Ester Mbathera President Nangolo Mbumba held a farewell lunch with State House staff on Thursday, to mark the end of his tenure as he prepares to hand over the presidency to President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on 21 March. Mbumba, who became the first Namibian president to complete the term of a predecessor who passed away while in office, reflected on his time in office during the event. The farewell program was officiated by Inge Zaamwani, Presidential Advisor on Constitutional Matters and Private Sector Interface, and featured musical performances by Kalux and King Tee Dee. Attendees included Khomas Regional Governor, Laura McLeod-Katjirua…

13 Mar

Teachers call for free sanitary pads in schools

info_e12wt4csNational News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Teachers across the country are raising concerns about the lack of sanitary pads for schoolgirls, saying period poverty continues to affect the children’s attendance, academic performance, and participation in school activities. Christof Ngavetene, principal of Tsumkwe Secondary School, said menstrual hygiene products should be made available to all learners to ensure that no girl misses school due to her period. "Sanitary pads should be distributed freely to all schools. The Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare should make budgetary allocations for every child in school. Companies providing catering services to hostels should also be obligated to include sanitary…

13 Mar

QKR sponsors N$15 million for Karibib Health Centre

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché The foundation has been laid for a new state-of-the-art health centre in Karibib, a project made possible through a partnership between the Ministry of Health and Social Services and QKR Navachab Gold Mine. The minister of health and social services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, said at the official launch of the project that once completed, the facility will improve healthcare access for the town’s growing population and surrounding areas. “The existing health facility, inaugurated in 2004, has served the needs of Karibib residents well. However, demographic changes and increased demand for healthcare services make it necessary to expand our…

13 Mar

Elderly tourist missing in Sesriem area identified

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché The Namibian Police has identified the elderly man from Switzerland that went missing from the Desert Hills Lodge in the Sesriem area as the 83-year-old Alois Ottiger. Ottiger was reported missing on Sunday, 9 March, at about 17:00 after he left his room at the lodge. People from the Sesriem area said that before he went missing, he told workers at the lodge that Sunday was the first anniversary of his wife’s death. According to the description provided by the Namibian police, Ottiger is approximately 1.73m tall and was last seen wearing white clothes. It was also reported…

13 Mar

Namra pushes for trade efficiency at Trans-Kalahari Border

info_e12wt4csObserver Money

Niël Terblanché Namibia officially launched the Time Release Study (TRS) Report for the Trans-Kalahari Border Post on Thursday, which is another step towards improving trade efficiency and border management. The report, a product of collaboration between Namibian government institutions, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, and technical experts, seeks to identify and address bottlenecks in the clearance of goods and border operations. At the launch event in Windhoek, the Namibia Revenue Agency’s (NamRA) commissioner, Sam Shivute described the report as a tool that will help refine customs and trade facilitation measures in line with international best practices. “The TRS…

13 Mar

Is there cause to celebrate 35 years or not?

info_e12wt4csOpinions

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Next Friday, Namibia will turn 35 years old. If Namibia were a human being, one would have considered him or her a grown-up and middle-aged and thus expected her/him to be mature enough to either be entrusted with crucial decisions in life or be entrusted with full responsibility for his life. Because a person is already considered mature—although not that mature— by the age of 21 years. This is symbolised by giving them a key, The key symbolises the transition to adulthood, the assumption of new responsibilities, and the unlocking of opportunities and independence. Intriguing enough it seems…

13 Mar

Cracking the Code: A conversation with the Marbeline Sabatha the author of The Modern Man’s Guide

info_e12wt4csNational News

In her new book, The Modern Man’s Guide: Cracking the Code on Women and Relationships, Marbeline Sabatha shares the inspiration behind the book, the common relationship pitfalls men encounter, and why fostering mutual understanding is key to building lasting, fulfilling partnerships. WO: What inspired you to write this book, and what personal experiences or observations influenced its content? MS: My deep-seated desire to see couples thrive in happy, fulfilling relationships initially inspired me to write this book. Over the years, I witnessed the damage and turmoil caused by miscommunication and misunderstandings between partners. It was perplexing to observe how arguments…

13 Mar

Avoid project abandonment

info_e12wt4csOpinions

Sem Billy I. David In any growing city, successfully implementing development projects is crucial to improving residents' lives. The City of Windhoek, together with the Regional Council Office, are responsible for ensuring that projects meet the requirements of the people and should be completed efficiently and on time. However, there have been mounting concerns regarding delays, mismanagement, and even abandonment of projects in Windhoek, especially in the informal settlement, such as Mix Settlement (Mix Primary School, started 2023 till now not completed), Groot Aub, Havana (road infrastructures, Schools and Hospitals) and Goreangab Dam, which ultimately damage service delivery and public…

13 Mar

Namibia has 75 million carats in reserve

info_e12wt4csObserver Money

CHAMWE KAIRA Namibia has the richest known marine diamond deposits in the world, with diamond resources estimated at approximately 75 million carats in approximately 1.0 million square kilometres of seabed. Marine diamond deposits represent around 80% of the partnership’s total diamond production and 94% of its diamond resources, based on the Anglo American 2024 Integrated Report. Anglo American owns De Beers. De Beers operates via 50:50 joint operations with the Namibian government, recovering both land-based diamonds Namdeb and offshore mining Debmarine Namibia. Production in Namibia decreased by 4% to 2.2 million carats in 2024 (2023: 2.3 million carats), reflecting intentional action…