Hilaria Shikongo from Karibib has revealed for the first time that she has lived with obstetric fistula — a preventable childbirth injury creating a hole between the birth canal and rectum — since 2011, when she gave birth at age 16. Despite repeated trauma including surgical repair failure, she went on to have three more children and has now begun nursing studies, hoping to raise awareness so other women recognise symptoms early and seek help.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
An Independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian criticised the recently tabled budget for not addressing the shortage of gender-based violence shelters, noting that Namibia has only eight government-operated shelters with six regions having none. She also highlighted severe shortages in social workers, with Namibia having one social worker for every 17,923 children compared to the international standard of one per 5,000 children.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
A 26-year-old from Outapi won over N$1.2 million after correctly predicting 23 football match outcomes in a single online bet placed for just N$1 through Castlebet Namibia. The bettor said he used his knowledge of football to make the predictions and plans to use the winnings to complete his studies.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Vice President Lucia Witbooi addressed the Women's World Day of Prayer in Windhoek on 7 March, emphasizing the global Christian solidarity movement and calling on churches to combat gender-based violence and advance social justice. She stressed that faith must translate into action, particularly in supporting survivors of violence and challenging structural inequalities that harm women and vulnerable communities.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
A 7-year-old boy was hospitalised at Windhoek Central Hospital after allegedly being assaulted by the father of a classmate who discovered his son crying after an incident at school. The Namibian government says it is investigating the matter, with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare condemning the incident and emphasising that no circumstance justifies violence against children.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The education director in Omusati region has ordered teachers to cease all unauthorized income-generating activities outside their full-time jobs, warning of audits and disciplinary action under the Public Service Act. Teachers have resisted the directive, arguing that their low salaries force them to seek additional income to cover loans and living expenses, with union leaders noting the rule applies to all public servants but should be enforced more educatively.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
In Kenya, where wealth was once associated with being overweight, demand for weight-loss surgeries and drugs like Ozempic has surged as beauty ideals shift toward slimness and celebrity culture normalizes medical intervention. Social media pressure, health concerns including diabetes and infertility, and changing fashion preferences are driving the trend, though critics question the procedures as pursuing unrealistic standards.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
A 32-year-old man entered a Windhoek City Police office in Khomasdal claiming he had been robbed, then took a vehicle key left on a table and drove off with a police vehicle, crashing it into a private property. Police say the suspect is a patient at a mental hospital and is receiving medical attention; no injuries were sustained and investigations are ongoing.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Andrea Ferris appeared in Windhoek Magistrate's Court on Tuesday charged with the murder of Abre Maasdorp and attempted murder of her ex-husband Granville Maasdorp following a domestic altercation at Elisenheim. The court remanded her in custody and postponed the matter to 4 June while she applies for legal aid.
11 March 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Education has launched a regional outreach programme to inform learners about tertiary education opportunities, admission requirements, and government support, beginning in Kavango West and extending to other regions through March 2026.
11 March 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibian Police Force in Erongo is searching for three women wanted in connection with fraud and money laundering involving N$280,410 in Swakopmund. The suspects are believed to be in Windhoek, and police are appealing for public assistance in locating them.
11 March 2026 · Informanté →
A man described as mentally ill entered Windhoek City Police's Khomasdal office claiming he had been assaulted, then took a vehicle key from a table and drove a police car out of the yard. The vehicle crashed into a residential property on Richardine Klopper Street, causing damage to both the car and the house, though no injuries were reported.
11 March 2026 · Informanté →
The Capricorn Foundation has expanded its support for the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Programme in Kunene, now reaching 1,200 learners and 200 teachers across the region following a N$798,000 investment since 2024. The programme has shown measurable improvements, with schools recording reductions of 20 to 50 percentage points in learners unable to perform basic mathematical tasks, and plans to expand to 15 schools by 2026.
11 March 2026 · New Era →
The Mariental Youth Resource Centre operates at reduced capacity with only two staff members instead of the required seven, while its converted house premises lacks youth-friendly infrastructure. The centre is pursuing a five-year plan to construct a new multipurpose facility and has revived programmes in agricultural cooperatives, entrepreneurship training, and environmental education despite staffing constraints.
11 March 2026 · New Era →
The One Economy Foundation, in partnership with FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust, launched #EmpowerToEarn to address youth unemployment in peri-urban and semi-rural areas through practical skills training in catering, hairdressing, and agriculture, combined with entrepreneurship and financial literacy modules and post-training business mentorship.
11 March 2026 · New Era →
Informal traders at Windhoek's Havana four-way stop say road construction and lack of facilities make their businesses unsafe and difficult to operate. Vendors are calling for designated trading space and basic infrastructure, citing security risks from early morning stock preparation and the absence of storage facilities.
11 March 2026 · New Era →
National Assembly Speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila visited Windhoek Central Hospital's Children's Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and called for the Legislature to develop more bills to improve Namibia's training capacity for specialist workers, noting the country lacks experts in key medical fields and most specialists are trained abroad. A paediatric cardiologist highlighted that Namibia has only 10 to 15 sub-specialists across the entire country, describing the situation as "tragic" and pointing to an inability to build local training capacity.
11 March 2026 · New Era →
The Kavango regions experienced multiple serious incidents over the weekend: an armed home invasion in Rundu in which the homeowner was shot and one suspect was injured, a smuggling attempt at Rundu Police station involving contraband for inmates, and two deaths including a pensioner who drowned while fishing and a man whose body was recovered after going missing in February.
11 March 2026 · New Era →
Katoole Ipinge, a former marketing and communication manager at the Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management, appeared in court facing 10 corruption charges. He allegedly directed Nipam clients to deposit funds totalling N$175,200 into his personal bank account between June and December 2021, in breach of his official position.
11 March 2026 · New Era →
Three men were arrested and granted bail after allegedly shooting an elephant in Omusati region that subsequently killed a 46-year-old woman who was provoked the animal. Police registered a case of illegal hunting; the suspects allegedly used a .303 hunting rifle on the protected animal, valued at about N$295,000.
11 March 2026 · New Era →