The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has condemned allegations made by Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) MP John Louw Mouton, who claimed the public broadcaster failed to pay taxes to the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) and alleged corruption related to a government bailout of N$353 million. 

The NBC described these claims as false and misleading. 

During yesterday's sitting of the National Assembly, Mouton claimed that the public broadcaster failed to pay taxes, while its management received unauthorised bonuses and subsistence and travel allowances.

The IPC MP called for thorough investigations into the corporation's operations.

But NBC's Director General, Stanley Similo, denied any failure to pay taxes and also rejected claims of corrupt practices relating to the bailout. 

Similo further stated that the allegations represent an abuse of the parliamentary platform.

The NBC chief stated that as of September 2025, the Pay as You Earn balance for NBC is N$3 million, which is due for payment by 20 October 2025 and is fully within legal timeframes.

It also stated that the corporation is up to date with NamRA with no outstanding interest or penalties for late or non-payment.

It further clarified that, since 2021, NBC has settled N$122 million in capital arrears from its own revenue under the Tax Relief Programme, with N$76 million in penalties and interest waived legally.

The Ministry of Finance wrote off a historic PAYE arrear of N$33 million as part of a one-off legacy debt relief in the 2024/25 Appropriation Bill.

The Finance Ministry allocated N$1.4 billion for settling legacy tax obligations for several public enterprises, including NBC, labelled as a corrective fiscal measure rather than a bailout.

Similo stressed that the broadcaster undergoes annual external audits by the Auditor-General, with no malfeasance reported to date.

He said the incentive payments referenced by Mouton were lawful contractual obligations under the Total Cost of Company remuneration system, not unauthorised bonuses.

NBC, Similo said, generates about 56% of its income from commercial and advertising activities, stressing that the unfounded allegations made by Mouton are a threat to the corporation's reputation and financial stability.

The NBC called on public leaders to uphold responsibility and accuracy in their statements, highlighting the damage such false accusations can cause to national institutions and to the democratic process.

The MICT Minister is expected to respond tomorrow.