Also known as: minister of defence and veterans affairs Frans Kapofi · Minister Kapofi · Minister Frans Kapofi · Defence Minister Frans Kapofi · Veteran politician and defence minister Frans Kapofi · acting industries, mines and energy minister Frans Kapofi · Kafofi · Hon. Kapofi · Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Frans Kapofi
Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister overseeing NDF operations, training modernization, and Cassinga Memorial Park inauguration in Angola.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Frans Kapofi
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The Namibian
Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Frans Kapofi paid tribute to Wilma Deetlefs as professional and dependable
“The minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security, Frans Kapofi, in a message on the same forum also paid tribute to Deetlefs. "She truly was very professional and a dependable public servant," he said.”
Tributes paid to public service commissionerOpposition shadow minister Aloisius Kangulu has called on the defence ministry to explain N$860,000 spent on subsistence and travel allowances, citing concerns about transparency and accountability. The demand follows reports that the defence department exceeded its 2024/25 budget by N$252.9 million despite receiving an unqualified audit opinion.
15 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Opposition shadow minister Aloisius Kangulu has called on the defence ministry to explain N$860,000 spent on subsistence and travel allowances, citing concerns about transparency and accountability. The demand follows reports that the defence department exceeded its 2024/25 budget by N$252.9 million despite receiving an unqualified audit opinion.
15 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia and Angola's joint committee found the Cassinga Memorial Park in Angola substantially complete and ready for inauguration, with construction reported at 99 percent and remaining work including engraved victim names, coat-of-arms repairs, water supply, and fire prevention measures to be completed before the ceremony.
26 September 2026 · Informanté →
The Cassinga Memorial Park in Angola has reached 99% physical completion and is ready for inauguration, nine years after Namibia and Angola began the joint construction project. Defence and veterans affairs minister Frans Kapofi said the memorial park, which honours the victims of the 4 May 1978 Cassinga massacre where more than 900 people were killed, represents a symbol of historic solidarity between the two nations.
23 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Independent Patriots for Change and Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters are demanding government answers on a ransomware attack claimed by cybercrime group RansomHouse against the Namibian Defence Force last Saturday. Opposition figures say the incident raises questions about Namibia's cybersecurity preparedness and call for improved defences, coordination, and staff awareness.
21 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The cybercrime group RansomHouse has claimed responsibility for a ransomware attack on the Namibian Defence Force on Saturday, threatening to leak confidential information and demanding contact to prevent disclosure of the defence force's data and documents. The attack highlights growing national cybersecurity vulnerabilities as Namibia works toward finalizing cybercrime and data protection legislation.
20 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian Defence Force's week-long sports games in Grootfontein brought together athletes from all NDF services across nine sporting codes. Minister of Defence Frans Kapofi said the event strengthened unity, teamwork, discipline, physical fitness and fighting spirit, and urged athletes to apply lessons learned to military duties.
13 September 2026 · Informanté →
The Namibian Defence Force Vocational Training Centre, which opened in 2020 and enrolled its first students in 2021, has graduated its first intake in Level 3 vocational training including air-conditioning and refrigeration, bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing and pipe fitting, and welding and metal fabrication. Defence Minister Frans Kapofi called for greater use of vocational skills to strengthen the NDF, reduce unemployment, and support economic and industrial development.
16 August 2026 · Informanté →
An unknown person posing as a police chief inspector from Kongola in the Zambezi region allegedly defrauded former home affairs minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana of N$200,000 on 8 July while she was at home. The case is under investigation and has been forwarded to commercial crime.
13 July 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah visited the 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade in Windhoek and emphasised discipline as the cornerstone of military professionalism, while calling for coordinated response to substance abuse within the Namibian Defence Force. She reminded troops of their responsibility to protect the Central Region, including the capital city and key institutions.
8 July 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah warned soldiers in the Namibian Defence Force against drug and alcohol abuse during a seven-day inspection tour from 27 June to 3 July, stressing that discipline remains central to military professionalism and effectiveness.
8 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Frans Kapofi has rejected calls to visit liberation struggle veterans protesting outside Swapo Party headquarters, saying their grievances fall outside his ministerial mandate and that they raise issues beyond his responsibility.
30 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Defence and veterans affairs minister Frans Kapofi declined on Thursday to provide details about a military base being developed at Okongo in the Ohangwena region, near president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's homestead. The Namibian understands the base is situated on a site previously used by South African forces and has remained largely inactive for years.
29 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The IPC's shadow minister of defence Aloisius Kangulu says Defence Minister Frans Kapofi sidestepped an urgent parliamentary question calling for direct intervention with liberation struggle veterans protesting outside Swapo Party headquarters, instead providing an explanation of veterans' benefits. Kangulu clarified that the question centred on why Kapofi had not personally visited the veterans, and that receiving statutory benefits does not address their broader demands for justice and dignity.
29 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Frans Kapofi launched the book "Security, Resource Control and Democracy in Africa" at the University of Namibia's School of Military Science. The scholarly publication, which emerged from an international conference in November 2023, aims to contribute to discussions on governance, security and sustainable development across the continent.
8 June 2026 · Informanté →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the opening of the Omaludi Agricultural Festival in Ohangwena that development must not come at the expense of cultural identity. She noted the festival boosts the local economy through accommodation, transport, and informal trade, and announced the government will focus on improving existing agricultural schemes rather than establishing new ones.
29 May 2026 · Informanté →
Defence Minister Frans Kapofi told 1,703 new Namibian Defence Force graduates that indiscipline, drug abuse, and irresponsible social media use would not be tolerated.
27 May 2026 · Namibian Sun →
The Namibian Defence Force will on 21 May 2026 graduate its 18th Intake at Osona Military Base after 12 months of training, with recruits taking the oath of allegiance and being formally commissioned as soldiers. The ceremony will be officiated by the Defence Minister and presided over by the Chief of Defence Force.
26 May 2026 · Informanté →
The Ministry of Defence says the Namibian Defence Force is modernising operations to include drone warfare and technology-driven military systems, as militaries worldwide increasingly rely on drones and cyber-based operations. Defence Minister Frans Kapofi said Namibia needs technologically skilled recruits adaptable to intelligence-based warfare, following the graduation of 1,703 recruits at Osona Military Base.
22 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Defence Minister Frans Kapofi denied reports that the Namibian Defence Force has assumed responsibility for protecting President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, saying the military could step in only if required. The denial comes after an alleged security breach at State House on Thursday, when an unidentified man allegedly entered the presidential residence and reached the private living area before being apprehended, though details of how he gained access and whether he was arrested remain unclear.
5 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Defence Minister Frans Kapofi held a meeting with Namibia's German Ambassador Thorsten Hutter and Chief of Defence Air Marshal Martin Pinehas, where the parties reaffirmed their commitment to peace and stability in the region and expressed optimism about strengthening bilateral cooperation.
25 April 2026 · Informanté →
Namibian commercial banks have no policies to refund defrauded clients, even as the Bank of Namibia reports losses of over N$6 million monthly to fraud. Banks claim liability rests with customers who authorize transactions under deception, while victims say they have been denied compensation; international regulators in the UK and EU are moving to mandate refunds to fraud victims.
16 April 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece argues that appointing an information commissioner at N$1.4 million annually is unnecessary bureaucracy, asserting existing government institutions and online resources already provide public information. The author contends that inefficiency in government responsiveness, not lack of access, is the real problem Namibia should address.
12 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs spent N$2.5 million on funeral assistance for 363 veterans in 2025/2026, with minister Frans Kapofi reporting that 94% of the department's N$1.5 billion allocation went toward veterans' welfare and preserving liberation struggle history. For 2026/2027, the ministry is requesting a similar N$1.5 billion budget, primarily for monthly grants benefiting nearly 24,000 veterans.
7 April 2026 · New Era →
Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Frans Kapofi presented the ministry's N$7,535,500,000 budget for 2026/27, a 0.7% increase from the previous year, aimed at improving security, defence capabilities, and socio-economic development through key focus areas including training, land operations, and offshore defence.
1 April 2026 · Informanté →
Defence Minister Frans Kapofi has ordered tighter spending and warned of growing non-traditional security threats including cross-border crime and cybersecurity risks, while directing the defence ministry to live within its means and prioritise efficiency. Kapofi also called for procurement reforms, stronger support for liberation war veterans, and plans to involve soldiers in agriculture to improve food security.
26 March 2026 · New Era →
Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Frans Kapofi told ministry staff that Namibia's peace depends on the security cluster's daily work protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity. He cited evolving risks including cross-border trafficking, organised crime, illegal fishing, and cybersecurity threats that require constant vigilance and inter-agency collaboration.
26 March 2026 · Informanté →
At least 91 parliamentarians have submitted asset and interest declarations as required under parliamentary standing rules, with MPs disclosing shareholdings in telecommunications, banking, and brewing companies, as well as residential and commercial properties across Namibia. Failure to comply with annual declaration requirements constitutes a breach of parliamentary rules and may result in referral to the Committee of Privileges for disciplinary measures including fines or formal reprimands.
25 March 2026 · New Era →
Namibia's 36th Independence Day celebrations across all 14 regions carried a unified message from political and community leaders to preserve the liberation legacy, strengthen unity, and address youth unemployment and economic inequality. While acknowledging democratic achievements and progress in service delivery, leaders emphasised that political independence must now be matched by economic emancipation and that youth must drive future development.
24 March 2026 · New Era →
At a national Independence Day commemoration at Sam Nujoma Stadium on 21 March 2026, Frans Kapofi addressed Namibians 36 years after the country's sovereignty in 1990, honouring those who fought colonial rule and calling on citizens to contribute to national prosperity through active participation rather than passive expectation.
24 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Minister of Defence Frans Kapofi called on Namibians to safeguard unity, strengthen democratic values, and actively contribute to national development during the country's 36th Independence Day celebrations at Sam Nujoma Stadium. He acknowledged persistent challenges including drought, unemployment, and economic constraints, emphasizing that prosperity requires collective citizen participation and warning against divisions based on ethnicity, regionalism, or political affiliation.
21 March 2026 · Informanté →