A cloudburst at Noordoewer, which resulted in over 200mm of rain in the course of an hour, led to the temporary closure of the border with South Africa and caused damage to farmers in the area.
However, that was nothing in comparison to the relief that farmers felt when receiving the welcome rain.
According to Albert van der Merwe, who farms in that area, the cloudburst occurred on Saturday afternoon and approximately 200mm was recorded.
Read more about Good rains fall at last
No reasons were given for the granting of bail to murder suspects despite the concerns aired by community members.
The five suspected killers of retired German industrialist Reinhardt Schmidt, who was killed on the Hoodia Hunting Farm in the Omamas area last February, are to make their next court appearance on February 26.
The local farming community reacted angrily when the five men – Dr Gerson Kandjii, Erwin Tjiteere, Justus Domingo, Stefanus Jansen and Mawapunchila Nakapanda – were released on N$5 000 bail in November last year while facing serious criminal charges.
Read more about No reasons for bail in farm murder case
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry says it’s in the process of awarding a second tender to a contractor to finish the first phase of a veterinary clinic and laboratory at Ondangwa after the first contractor failed to deliver.
Minister John Mutorwa issued a media statement this week to explain why the project, originally awarded to Dankie Jnr Investment on June 12, 2014, has not been completed.
Mutorwa said Dankie Jnr Investment failed to deliver on deadline, thereby preventing the start of the second phase of construction.
Read more about Work on veterinary lab resumes
Sketches of two suspects in a farm attack on an elderly couple and the murder of their son in the Otjozondjupa Region at the end of last year have been released, while the reward for information that could lead to an arrest has been increased to N$70 000.
The Otjiwarongo community was rocked at the end of December when Hartwig Koehler(50) was killed on the farm Doringkom about 86km from Otjiwarongo on the road to Okahandja.
His parents, Martin Koehler (80) and Elizabeth (79), as well as his son Achim (20) were also brutally attacked.
Read more about Reward in Koehler murder case increased
Revered South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said: “Watch it. You can kiss reconciliation and forgiveness goodbye, unless the gap between the rich and the poor - the haves and the have-nots - is narrowed, and narrowed quickly and dramatically”. This is not only Tutu’s view, it is a sentiment shared by our political leaders at international forums when engaging their Western counterparts. The glaring inequality between the rich and poor is there for all to see. Read more about Inequality tears us apart
DIRE STRAITS: A Syrian girl crosses the road on the outskirts of the besieged rebel-held Syrian town of Madaya, as an aid convoy waits to enter the town. Dozens of aid trucks are headed to Madaya, where more than two dozen people have reportedly starved to death. PHOTO: NAMPA/AFP Read more about Shot of the day
Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Lesotho are among the world’s 10 most unequal countries - in which the richest 10% of the population own half of the combined wealth.
And although it is the job of policymakers to deal with this issue in Namibia, they in fact form part of this elite.
According to Oxfam’s new inequality report the poorest 10% in these most unequal countries own less than 1% of the national wealth.
Read more about Elite own half of Nam
Higher Education permanent secretary Alfred van Kent will head a delegation to Congo Brazzaville to investigate the situation of Namibian students and staff at the Loudima Institute for Technical and Vocational Training.
This follows a water and electricity crisis at the institution which was apparently fuelled by a reported assault on a Namibian staff member by Congolese police officers.
According to Van Kent, the altercation started when the Namibian employee refused instructions by the Congolese director, Celestin Mukoki, to attend a briefing.
Read more about Education team to address Loudima troubles
Several of Namibia’s dams have received some inflow after the good rainfall that has fallen across the country, including the two largest dams that are located in the South and the central dams that supply water to Windhoek.
This is the first time this season that any inflow has been measured at the three central supply dams, namely the Swakoppoort, Von Bach and Omatako dams. That is good news for Windhoek, which is staring a water crisis in the face.
Read more about Central dams get first inflows
The DTA official opposition party has decided to move its headquarters to Oshakati following its dismal performance in recent elections, especially in the northern parts of the country.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday DTA president McHenry Venaani said they would not be intimidated by the ruling Swapo Party’s efforts to garner more political control in the rest of the country.
The DTA’s headquarters will be moved to the Oshana Region in the next three months.
Read more about DTA sets eyes on the North
Sleeping on beds consisting of bricks covered with thin mattresses, no staff to cook a proper meal for them, enduring the smell of goat dung and living in dilapidated buildings.
These are the living conditions at the church-owned Rupara and Nkurenkuru Combined schools in the Kavango West Region, and the ministry says it’s not its responsibility.
A concerned resident from Nkurenkuru told Namibian Sun about hostel conditions at the Rupara Combined School and called on the line ministry to rectify the situation.
Read more about Pupils, goats share hostel
A collapse in business at the northern border town of Oshikango has resulted in more retrenchments as several companies struggle to remain afloat in the wake of a suspended currency-conversion agreement.
The latest figures submitted by the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union’s (Nafau’s) Oshikango branch alone indicate that over the past two months close to 50 workers were laid off by two companies, with more companies expressing intentions to retrench workers.
Read more about Job cuts continue at Oshikango
The principal of one of the schools in Oshakati says parents should stop discrediting schools based on misconceptions and hearsay.
In an interview with Namibian Sun yesterday, Ehenye Primary School principal Beata Kalenga said there was a mistaken belief that her school was a bad one and parents should stop spreading the rumour.
Read more about Principal slams parents' school preferences
Joseph Diescho was in a state of shock yesterday after his vehicle was broken open and sensitive documents and other items were stolen.
The documents contained information on Diescho’s labour case against his former employer, the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (Nipam).
At the time of the incident Diescho was at a wellness centre in Eros for physiotherapy shortly after noon.
Read more about Diescho falls foul of thieves
While bemoaning the state of politics in Namibia, veteran politician Mburumba Kerina says Swapo acted too hastily in expelling four of its youth leaders and President Hage Geingob needs a “no-nonsense” team of advisors.
Kerina, who was the first to petition the United Nations on the South African occupation of the then South West Africa, also drew up the blueprints for the formation of Swapo and the start of the armed liberation struggle.
It was Kerina who chose the name Namibia to replace South West Africa.
Read more about Kerina talks politics, AR, A-Team
Local runners will get their first taste of what the year has in store when the Pupkewitz National Cross-Country Championships takes place at the Katutura Sports Complex tomorrow morning.
Athletes will line up for various categories, with the junior women set to start the day’s activities with a six-kilometre run at 08:00.
Thereafter the junior men will embark on an 8km race at 08:30 while the youth (both girls and boys) will run a 2km race at 09:00.
Read more about Ready, set and go for cross-country runners
