Page 960 – News Stand

16 Feb

Changing gears over Air Namibia

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedAir Namibia, Covid-19, Namibia

CHAMWE KAIRA The liquidation of Air Namibia is a sad episode in post-independence Namibia. The national flag carrier is gone, jobs have been lost and the ripple effects will be felt across the economic and social fabric of the country for a long time. The country is already facing a depressing period with the COVID 19 pandemic and the economic recession, the Air Namibia shutdown adds to the misery. The loss of jobs at the airline adds to unemployment figures caused by companies shutting down due to the pandemic and recession. Employment figures released by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial…

16 Feb

Wecke & Voigts closes stores

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCOVID, Covid-19, Wecke & Voigts Group

Kandjemuni Kamuirii The Wecke & Voigts Group has announced the closure of the Wecke & Voigts in Independence Avenue and Grove Mall of Namibia. The Independence Avenue shop closes its doors after operating for 129 years since it’s foundation in 1892. “An emotional decision to shut one Windhoek’s first departmental stores was taking last year and it will be discontinued as off the end of June 2021”, said Wecke & Voigts Group Managing Director, Adrieane Jandrell. “Both shops have not been doing well for the pass years, due to various influences other than Covid-19 .Although the impact of covid-19 has…

16 Feb

ECN concedes to pay for election re-run

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyECN, Theo Mujoro

Maria Hamutenya The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has conceded that it will pay political parties’ cost for their participation in the election re-runs in Koës, Aroab, Stampriet Local authorities and Mariental Rural Constituency now scheduled for Friday, 26 February. The ECN had previous hinted that it might appeal the ruling handed by Judge Shafimana Ueitele in the Electoral Court’s judgement in December, depending on the reasons given that the commission should carry the cost for political parties to participate in the rerun of the polls as it was not within its mandate. “The court order will be complied with…

16 Feb

Swapo divisions re-emerge over Air Namibia

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyFinance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi, Henning Melber, Leon Jooste, Ndumba Kamwanyah, Onurair, SWAPO

Andrew Kathindi Divisions in ruling Swapo’s party have once again resurfaced in light of the Air Namibia matter after a Swapo’s parliamentary caucus has demanded the reversal of a decision made by a Swapo-led Cabinet on the liquidation of Air Namibia. This comes as Swapo affiliated National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) along with several other unions have planned a mass public demonstration against government’s decision to liquidate the airline this week. “This just is a sign of the party internal disarray. A significant number of higher-ranking party officials are in government and Cabinet positions. Hence it could have been…

15 Feb

Ancestral land rights undisputable, but beware of Capitalistic hegemony

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedAncestral land rights, Ancestral Land Rights Claims and Restitution, Capitalistic hegemony

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro The Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Ancestral Land Rights Claims and Restitution, now in the public domain, is reaffirming claims to and of ancestral land rights by a section of the indigenous people of Namibia as an undeniable historical fact. A historical fact which the propertied class in Namibia, and their lackeys, have been portraying, twist and spinning as fiction. The indigenous people were dispossessed of their land in the name of Colonialism and Capitalism. Consequently they were and most are still displaced internally, and externally in the Diaspora of Botswana and South Africa, among many…

15 Feb

The Time Traveler: The rape epidemic

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedJan Mohr Secondary School, The rape epidemic

Hugh Ellis It makes me sad and angry that I have to wrote yet another column on sexual violence in Namibia. A 53-year-old teacher at Jan Mohr Secondary School in Windhoek has been arrested for the rape of a 19-year old schoolboy. It took several days for the case to be reported, and several more for the arrest to be made. It is reported that the same teacher was accused of a similar crime seven years ago, but was allowed to continue in his employment at the school. It the wake of this incident, reports have emerged of other teachers…

13 Feb

AR land issue judgement pushed forward

info_e12wt4csUncategorised(AR), Affirmative Repositioning, Job Amupanda, Justice Orben Sibeya, Kadhila Amoomo

Maria Hamutenya Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement is set to hear whether President Hage Geingob will have to comply with an agreement he signed with the organisation in 2015 after the High Court postponed its judgement to next Tuesday, 16 February. AR Lawyer, Kadhila Amoomo, said the judgement was still to be finalised by Justice Orben Sibeya. The government in 2015 struck a deal with AR leader, Job Amupanda, to service 200 000 plots on urban land countrywide. Amoomo said it was an interlocutory application, “it is not fatal, whether we win or lose, it does not stop the case” adding…

13 Feb

Turkish Onurair almost saved Air Namibia

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedAir Namibia, Leon Jooste, Turkish Onurair

Andrew Kathindi Public Enterprises Minister, Leon Jooste, revealed that Air Namibia was almost taken over by Turkish airliner, Onurair, prior to Cabinet approving voluntary liquidation. Jooste said government sent invitations to airliners to try and save the national flag carrier, however nothing transpired. “We were asked to write to all airlines currently operating to Namibia and those that we know are intending to come including this company. No formal response or request for further engagements were received from any of them,” Jooste told Windhoek Observer. Onurair had shown interest in taking over the beleaguered Namibian airliner. According to documents from…

12 Feb

CRAN, the year that was

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedCRAN, Heinrich Mihe Gaomab II

Heinrich Mihe Gaomab II In a world where technology is urging the tides of change forward, Namibia, like all other countries, has been forced to up its game to ensure that regulations are current, relevant and serves the needs and expectations of Namibia’s information and communication technology (ICT) consumers. With this, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia’s (CRAN) mantra of a high quality, accessible and affordable communications technological need for all Namibians has become even more important today. Amidst the unforeseen, unprecedented and catastrophic Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), Authorities such as CRAN have become increasingly crucial to making online interactions safe,…

12 Feb

NAC plans N$1.3bn investments

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyNamibia Airports Company (NAC)

Staff Writer The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) says it plans to invest over N$1.3 billion in infrastructure development across all eight airports within the next five years. Some of the projects lined up include the N$70 million Apron Expansion of Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA); N$16 million for a CUTE System for Hosea Kutako; N$16 million Ondangwa Apron Rehabilitation; N$32 million Katima Mulilo Runway Holding Action; N$10 million Walvis Bay Airside Boundary Wall; N$4 million Walvis Bay Electronic Equipment and a N$4 million Hosea Kutako road upgrade. The plans, according to the operator of the country’s airports, is aimed at…