Namibia's Vice President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has called on the judiciary to establish a special court that will primarily focus on tender-related cases.

Dr. Nandi-Ndaitwah says it pains her to learn that medicines are running low at the government hospital as a result of disputes emanating from tender process consultations.

The Vice President made the statement at the opening of the N$6 million Environmental Crimes Magistrate's Court at Otjiwarongo, funded by US financiers.

The Vice President is of the opinion that although establishing a special court will cost the treasury more money, the result will be positive.

"Chief Justice, really, together with the prosecutor general, I want you to look into this issue very seriously. Can't we have a special court to deal with tender disputes? So that you cannot have a tender being contested for the whole year or two years. And remember, when the tender is being contested, it has an impact on the service delivery and product. A classic example is  medicine particularly essential commodities, which are life and death for human beings."

The Vice President says it is not good to witness ordinary citizens being denied critical services due to tender disputes that have nothing to do with them. 

She urged judicial officers to deliver professional services by reducing the number of outstanding cases through special courts.

"When you are given an assignment, you must do it to the best of your ability. Having a court called a criminal court is one thing, but executing your duties fairly and with integrity and providing quality services to the people of Namibia is another. And we cannot have infrastructure of this nature not be utilized for the purpose for which it is built. Therefore, my call to all of you who are going to run this institution is that we are expecting nothing else but the best of your services."