In a dramatic turn of events, guards employed by the National Youth Security Service (NYSS), a state-owned entity under the Ministry of Sport, Youth, and National Service, have taken to the streets in protest.

The demonstration is fueled by allegations that the company has failed to uphold its commitment to paying a minimum wage of 10 dollars, as agreed upon in a substantive agreement with the Trade Union (NATAU) back in 2016.

The guards are currently paid 7,75 dollars per hour, which they contest is below the price of a loaf of bread.

The Karasburg West Constituency Office has provided temporary accommodation to 57 households whose reed houses were destroyed by fire at Aussenkehr farms early Tuesday morning. 

The fire also claimed the life of 27-year-old Willem Shiyoleni.

Karasburg West Constituency Councillor Taimi Amakali confided that the displaced fire victims will be housed in temporary shelters.

She said some grape companies have donated building materials to the affected households to rebuild with corrugated iron and zinc.

The Executive Director in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology says every effort was made to avoid the May 2021 strike at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation.

Dr. Audrin Mathe appeared before the public hearing of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources on the nbc strike.

Of particular concern to the Standing Committee was how the strike deductions affected individual employees who took part in the nearly month-long strike.

Ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha says there is an urgent need to renovate the Windhoek Correctional Facility.

The Ombudsman, accompanied by an observor team, made a late afternoon visit to the male section of the Windhoek Correctional Facility.

Following his visit there, he was satisfied with the general cleanliness; however, he says there is a need for more cleaning materials to assist the inmates in cleaning. 

He also commended the authorities at the correctional facility for having section heads and managing the different areas to keep order.

The Chairperson of the Kavango West Regional Council, Joseph Sikongo, calls on the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security to increase the staff numbers at the Nkurenkuru Home Affairs office.

The office is reportedly only operating with two staff members.

The Chairperson of Kavango West Regional Council says the office is supposed to serve all eight constituencies in the region.

Recently, he brought 15 people from Tondoro Constituency to acquire national documents, which was too much for the office to process at that particular time.

The Kamanjab Village Council is drilling several boreholes to address the water crisis that residents have been experiencing over the past few months.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Bianca Nguaiko, says the village council received N$5 million from the Office of the Prime Minister to effect this.

Nguaiko says residents have been without water for over six months after the Namwater borehole dried up.

She says that with the funds they received from the Office of the Prime Minister last month, they have appointed a contractor. 

The Omaheke, ||Kharas, and Hardap regions will now benefit from the drought relief programme, effective from July 1st, 2023, to March 2024.

Currently, about 695,000 people are food insecure, and Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah appealed to officials to register only people who meet the criteria.

She said there are signs of people being registered when they do not qualify, a situation that might defeat the purpose.

Civil servants on maternity leave will now receive their full salaries.

Making the announcement, Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says the N$15,000 benefit currently provided by the Social Security Commission (SSC) has been found wanting, especially for civil servants who earn more than what is provided.

In the event that the mother dies, the father of the child will be given paternity leave and receive the benefit. In the absence of both parents, the primary carer will then receive the benefit. All these are on the condition that they are civil servants.

Emotions ran high at the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises consultation on the Financial Institutions and Market Act (FIMA) regulation on the preservation retirement benefit fund at Eenhana.

Participants also highlighted that a lack of financial literacy in Namibia is a burden that needs action to educate the nation on financial matters.

One of the Technical Advisory Committee members conducting consultations, Martino Olivier, felt that the participants did not give the committee time to respond to their concerns.

Former Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (nbc) Board Chairperson Uazuva Kaumbi was buried on Saturday at his home village, Otjiwapeke, in the Daures Constituency.

Survived by his wife and six children, Kaumbi wore many hats owing to his vast knowledge and expertise.

He ensured that the knowledge he gained was passed on to the next generation by moderating at the Namibia Business School and lecturing at the University of Science and Technology.

Mourners from different walks of life all spoke of how much they had learned from him.