Unemployment of fishermen redressed

Unemployment of fishermen redressed

Niël Terblanché Almost 600 workers in the fishing industry have been re-employed after signing contracts with four fishing companies in Walvis Bay recently. The re-employment of the 581 fishermen is part of an effort by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and various fishing companies to mitigate the devastating effects of the mass lay-offs that occurred in the wake of the Fishrot debacle. At the time, nearly 5 000 workers lost their jobs and a majority of the former workers have been protesting the devastation to their lives at the soccer stadium in the Kuisebmond neighborhood of Walvis Bay…
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Nigel Van Wyk insists prosecution is selective

Nigel Van Wyk insists prosecution is selective

Stefanus Nashama Nigel Van Wyk, who reportedly earned a salary of over N$40 000 as an employee of disgraced former Justice Minister Sakeus Shanghala, yesterday accused the office of the Prosecutor General of being selective, biased, and executing an unfair prosecution. Van Wyk, who is charged alongside Shanghala and other Fishrot accused persons faces serious charges of classic money laundering and obstructing the course of justice. Van Wyk, through his Lawyer Mbanga Siyomunji, said prior to his arrest, he was not given time to explain himself. His bail application is before Judge David Munsu. He, alongside former Fisheries Bernard Esau…
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Judiciary Defends Zimbabwean Judge’s Supreme Court Appointment

Judiciary Defends Zimbabwean Judge’s Supreme Court Appointment

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Following a backlash by opposition parties in appointing Zimbabwean judge, Rita Makarau as an acting judge of the Supreme Court of Namibia, the Judicial Service Commission yesterday justified the appointment, saying Makarau’s appointment was based on the Commission’s recommendation and her prior judicial experience in the position, having worked as a Judge President and a Judge in the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe. The Commission’s Secretary, Sakeus Akwenda reiterated that President Hage Geingob’s appointment of Makarau, who is the former Chairperson of the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission was made after the recommendation. Makarau, he said, worked as a Prosecutor and…
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Namibia among the world’s highest spenders on education

Namibia among the world’s highest spenders on education

Staff Writer Namibia has been rated among the countries with the highest expenditure on education, with an average expenditure per learner of US$1,190.00(N$ 21,860.30). A report by the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) said Namibia devotes a significant share of its budget towards the education of children, with an annual average spending of 20.7 percent of the total budget and 7.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Namibia is ranked the 3rd highest spender in the East and Southern Africa Region. The report says Namibia’s overall spending on education is relatively high to improve quality of education. Shockingly, last year, grade…
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Prisons boss unhappy with Nampol “taking up” NCS officers’ jobs at peacekeeping missions

Prisons boss unhappy with Nampol “taking up” NCS officers’ jobs at peacekeeping missions

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Deputy Commissioner General of the Namibian Correctional Services (NCS), Sam Shaalulange has expressed disappointment at the lack of representation of Correctional Officers at peacekeeping missions of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN). According to him, Namibia currently only has one Correctional Service Officer deployed at the UN Mission in South Sudan. He says Police Officers, while deployed at peacekeeping missions are taking over duties intended for Correctional Officers, resulting into a lack of representation of the service at peacekeeping missions. “The Police, Defence and Correctional services all have…
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New HIV medication improves the lives of over 11 000 kids

New HIV medication improves the lives of over 11 000 kids

Hertta-Maria Amutenja At least 11 700 children living with HIV in Namibia were able to improve their health while on a new treatment regimen for HIV-positive children and adolescents. The antiretroviral therapy known as the Dolutegravir-based (DTG) regimen, was introduced by the Ministry of Health and Social Services last year and is said to be more effective at suppressing HIV viral loads, less likely to cause side effects, easier to take, and is better tasting than other medicines for children. The introduction of this new medicine in Namibia was achieved through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Health’s partners…
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Namandje offers N$100,000 scholarships to deserving students

Namandje offers N$100,000 scholarships to deserving students

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Sisa Namandje Foundation has awarded Scholarships to 13 students, covering tuition fees, accommodation, and other basic needs. “Ordinarily the foundation provides financial educational assistance already during the year. However, the founder this year availed N$ 100 000 to assist students who are at institutions of higher learning. In order to impact many lives, we catered to the students’ different needs instead of just dividing the amount amongst them,” Chairperson of the Foundation, Taimi Ileka -Amupanda said. According to lleka-Amupanda, the scholarship advertisement has attracted more than 300 applicants and will help the students once-off with their basic…
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Mbumba denies saying young people will not win elections

Mbumba denies saying young people will not win elections

Stefanus Nashama Vice President Nangolo Mbumba has disputed reports alleging that he said young people will never win elections. However, a daily newspaper reported on Tuesday that the Vice President said the youth are forming political parties along tribal and regional lines, and that they will never win national elections to run the country. Moreover, Mbumba also denied announcing his retirement plans without naming a specific date, as reported by the daily. According to a media statement released yesterday by Mateus Kaholongo, the Executive Director in the Office of the Vice President, the article says Mbumba remarked “People did not…
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Mariental receives new emergency response centre

Mariental receives new emergency response centre

Martin Endjala The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund has opened a new Emergency Medical Response Services centre in Mariental, which is aimed at bringing equitable quality health care to communities. MVA’s Corporate Communication and Stakeholder Relations Manager, Hilaria Graig during the launch of the response centre said access to equitable quality health care, particularly in emergency medical response services for road crash victims, remains a high priority to the Fund. “This is in response to Pillar Five of the Decade of Action Plan which aims to increase responsiveness to post-crash emergencies and improve the ability of health and other systems to…
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Tragedy strikes at the Iinongo Village

Niël Terblanché Pathologists will have to perform a post-mortem examination on a four-year-old boy who allegedly died while playing around a parked car at his home in the Iinongo Village near Oniipa late on Friday afternoon. According to the incident report provided by the Public Relations Division of the Namibian Police, the tragedy occurred at about 18:30 when the father of the deceased child arrived home from work and he pulled his car, a red Volkswagen Golf, into the yard of his house. “It is alleged that the little boy and his five-year-old sibling ran outside to welcome their 36-year-old…
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