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Stefanus Nashama Bank BIC Namibia clients are reportedly unable to perform electronic banking or withdraw their funds at the Automatic Teller Machines (ATM), instead, they have to negotiate with the bank to access their cash. Martin Lukas, a client of the bank, explained that bank officials told him that the system was hacked. “All they told us is that the system was hacked but no official communication was made to us. We have been forced to go inside since the beginning of March,” he said. Clients raised their concerns due to a lack of communication from the bank. Some customers…

Niël Terblanché The Namibian Government has embarked on a determined initiative to gather citizens' perspectives on the performance of its Offices, Ministries, and Agencies (OMAs), Regional Councils (RCs), and State-owned Enterprises (SOEs). Under the guidance of Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, the Citizen Satisfaction Survey (CSS) campaign, a collaboration with the University of Namibia, came to an end over the past weekend. The campaign covered all fourteen regions of the country. The CSS campaign sought to involve citizens in a participatory approach to governance. By condensing the public's view on various governmental bodies' effectiveness, the Office of the Prime Minister aims…

Niël Terblanché Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has inaugurated an important water project, delivering a multi-faceted borehole system to the Ohamutwe-Tautende village in the Epembe Constituency of the Ohangwena Region. This long-awaited intervention, comprising three pumps and ten tanks, as well as several water points, marks a turning point for the residents who have been without clean water since Namibia's independence. At the handover, the Kuugongolwa-Amadhila said that the establishment of the new facilities is in line with the government's pursuit of ensuring that all citizens have access to clean water She urged community members to take care of the infrastructure…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Internet Society Namibia Chapter (ISOC Namibia) has criticized Mobile Telecommunication Limited (MTC) for its continued collection of biometric data, citing it as a blatant violation of fundamental human rights. The society’s president, Anna Amoomo, argues that the collection of such data infringes upon privacy rights and questions the security of storing biometric information. "Attempts to justify the collection of biometrics by MTC remain elusive. We feel that biometric data doesn't have to be part of the package. When one refuses to give their biometric data, they are refused registration That means they are denied their basic human…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Ondonga Traditional Authority will be hosting the second annual Omagongo Festival in May. Former prime minister, Nahas Angula who is also a member of the Omagongo Festival 2024 Organising Committee, expressed anticipation for the event, which is poised to commence on 24 May and conclude on 26 May. “The festival serves as a platform to celebrate Aawambo culture and foster unity amongst the Namibian people,” said Angula. The Omagongo Festival is a commemoration of the Marula fruit harvest. Angula emphasised the significance of the festival's rotation among the eight Northern Traditional Authorities He reflected on the previous…

Niël Terblanché Grow Namibia CC trading as About Africa.Co has clarified the circumstances surrounding its recent acquisition of a lucrative tourism concession in Namibia amidst a wave of public scrutiny and media coverage. This is because the company has been awarded a 25-year contract to manage transportation, campsite operations, and guided trails in the iconic Sossusvlei area of the Namib Desert. The company founder, Heiko Dörgeloh, said that their adherence to fairness, transparency, and ethical practices throughout the bidding process is above suspicion. “The process, conducted by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT), involved a thorough and transparent…

Niël Terblanché Employees of Namibia’s premier provider of marine engineering solutions, Namdock downed tools on Monday accusing the top management of the company, partly owned by the Namibian Ports Authority, of changing their working conditions without prior notice. The employees staged a protest in front of the company entrance on Monday morning demanding answers from management. One of the employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being victimised, said management cancelled their tea break without consulting them nor their labour union, Metal and Allied Namibia Workers Union (MANWU). “The company took away our tea time without even…

Martin Endjala The restriction of payments between countries of Common Monetary Areas (CMA) that was scheduled to be enforced on 14 April has been extended to 30 September. The Bank of Namibia(BoN) spokesperson, Oskar Josefina confirmed this today. She said a detailed statement will be issued later in the week. Standard Bank Namibia has issued a formal communication to its client confirming the extension of the effective date of the PSD-9. “The extension aligns with the regulatory deadline from other CMA countries and affords the industry sufficient time to ensure compliance with PSD-9,” the Standard Bank statement reads. The bank…