Page 52 – News Stand

04 Mar

COSAFA calls for female football commentators

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Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) has called on women football commentators interested in regional football activities to submit their names for commentating opportunities. The football governing body of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) announced on Monday, encouraging aspiring female commentators and presenters from all SADC countries to apply. COSAFA plans to host a two-day workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa, from April 8-9, 2025, to train new talent. This follows the success of last year’s inaugural Women’s Commentator Workshop. “Following the hugely successful inaugural Women’s Commentator Workshop held last year, COSAFA will again look to…

03 Mar

Employers accused of cutting benefits to offset minimum wage

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Hertta-maria Amutenja The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) and the Namibian Revolutionary Transport Union (NARETU) have raised concerns over changes to employment conditions following the implementation of the national minimum wage (NMW) on 1 January. MUN general secretary, George Ampweya, said some employers have opted to adjust existing employee benefits instead of complying fully with the NMW. "Some employers would say, yes, let's look at existing benefits, for example, trying to cut allowances to compensate for wage increases. This is causing difficulty, as employees must choose between keeping their jobs or losing benefits," Ampweya said. He stated that the fuel…

03 Mar

Regulatory gaps leave mining communities vulnerable.

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Ester Mbathera There are currently no financial policies or regulations mandating mining companies to contribute toward mine closure plans. These findings are contained in a report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources on lithium mining in Uis, Daures Constituency, released last week. During a meeting with the committee in March 2023, Erasmus Shivolo, the deputy executive director for the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), informed the committee that many companies had failed to comply with mine closure plans. Shivolo explained that while the Mineral and Environmental Acts require companies to have a Closure Plan, there are no…

03 Mar

Fisheries ministry refutes incidents of illegal fishing on maritime border

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Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) stated that it is committed to tackling illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing along Namibia’s northern maritime border. In response to reports about the presence of foreign fishing vessels illegally operating within Namibia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the ministry has deployed its flagship patrol vessel to monitor the situation. The executive director of the ministry, Annely Haiphene, expressed concern over viral videos and photographs circulating online, which show vessels engaging in illegal fishing activities in Namibian waters. “These reports, photographs, and videos were analysed with the primary objective of establishing…

03 Mar

Football, agriculture lose leaders

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Allexer Namundjembo and Erasmus Shalihaxwe Just hours after laying to rest Founding President, Sam Nujoma, the country was struck by the loss of two influential figures, Jacob Hamutenya and Charles Siyauya. Hamutenya, a well-known agriculturalist, died in a car accident between Otavi and Otjiwarongo on Sunday afternoon, along with two others. Many have described his death as a huge loss to the country. Hamutenya served as the regional manager for the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA) in Ongwediva when he was 26 years old. He also served on the boards of various organisations. AMTA expressed deep sorrow on its social…

03 Mar

Governors to remain in office until sworn in as MPs

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Allexer Namundjembo Regional governors who will be going to the National Assembly will not be required to resign until they are sworn in as new members of parliament on 21 March. Governors going to parliament are Sirrka Ausiku of Kavango West, Salomon April of Hardap, Marius Sheya of Kunene and James Uerikua of Otjozondjupa regions. The spokesperson of the Namibian Presidency, Alfredo Hengari, on Monday told the Windhoek Observer that regional governors are appointed in their positions and they are not expected to resign. “Governors are politically appointed and they do not need to resign to take up their parliamentary…

03 Mar

Para-athletes can now be classified locally

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Ester Mbathera Paraplegic sport has made a monumental leap forward because athletes in para-athletics in field events can now receive a national classification with full confidence and credibility. This development comes after coach Naomi Schmidt and Marieke Mocke, the physiotherapist of the national team and the national classifier Boccia Namibia, were officially certified last week as national athletics classifiers. Schmidt and Mocke certification refers to a key moment for para-sport in Namibia because it seizes local coaches, clubs and regional associated entities to classify their athletes in the country. This eliminates the need for athletes to travel abroad for classification,…

03 Mar

‘Namibians will no longer be treated as a statistic’ – Shangula

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Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Health and Social Services launched its Customer Service Charter on Monday to improve service delivery across Namibia’s public health sector. Speaking at the launch in Windhoek, the minister of health and social services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, described the charter as a fundamental step towards ensuring efficiency, accountability, and patient-centred care in all health facilities in Namibia. “This Charter is not merely a document. It is our collective commitment and undertaking to serve the Namibian people to the best of our ability,” he said. He added that the charter is a guiding tool that enshrines national…

03 Mar

New online visas set to improve tourism and investment

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Niël Terblanché Namibia has officially launched an online visa application system for travellers seeking visas on arrival, in an effort to improve tourism, to facilitate investment, and streamline immigration processes. The minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security, Albert Kawana, announced the new system in Windhoek on Monday and said the initiative aligns with the country’s broader economic and security objectives. “This initiative represents the latest in our series of progressive measures to boost the country's tourism sector, improve international engagement, and uphold our national security,” he said. He added that the online system allows visitors to apply for…

03 Mar

MPs urge GRN to adopt Tanzania’s wildlife conflict strategies

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Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has recommended that the government officials learn from Tanzania’s approach to managing human-wildlife conflict. This recommendation follows a benchmark visit by members of parliament to Tanzania last year to study strategies and policies there. The committee’s report highlights that Tanzania commonly relocates problem animals, such as elephants and crocodiles, to areas far away from human habitats. Crocodiles are moved to rivers less frequented by people, while elephants are deterred from entering human habitat by the use of chilli bombs. Tanzania has also built crocodile enclosures in areas where humans and animals…