Staff Reporter THE Minister of Education, Sanet Steenkamp, has officially inaugurated the Namaqua Kalahari Children’s Hope Hostel in Gochas, Hardap Region – a facility that was constructed at a cost of N$11.6 million by the Spanish non-profit organisation, Foundawtion. …
Staff Reporter THE Namibian police in the Hardap Region have not yet arrested an employee of a betting outlet in Aranos who is accused of defrauding his employer of more than N$60,000. …
… They are St Therese Secondary School at Tses (//Kharas region), PI Groenewald Secondary School at Gochas, and Schlip Primary School at Schlip (in the Hardap region). …
… even United States (US) presidents are buried like anyone else. “I am saying he must be buried in a dignified way, but in a manner which is acceptable to the taxpayers and the unemployed.” Former director of the National Heritage Council and current governor of the Hardap region …
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has criticised the management of government green schemes, describing conditions at the Hardap Green Scheme as "a disaster" due to poor maintenance, mismanagement, and lack of proper governance, following an oversight visit to agricultural projects in Hardap Region.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has criticised the management of government green schemes, describing conditions at the Hardap Green Scheme as "a disaster" due to poor maintenance, mismanagement, and lack of proper governance, following an oversight visit to agricultural projects in Hardap Region.
The Namibian Police in the Hardap Region destroyed drugs worth N$462,510 confiscated from various parts of the region in cases finalised between January and December 2025. The contraband included 600 Mandrax tablets, 2.670 kg of cannabis skunk, 11.971 kg of pure cannabis, and 400 units of crack cocaine, mostly originating from Rehoboth, Mariental and Kalkrand.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources has concluded an oversight visit to agricultural projects in Hardap Region, including the Hardap Green Scheme, ROOTS Project, and Namib Dairies Super Farm. The committee commended the efficiency and innovation of privately managed enterprises and said it will incorporate findings into a report to parliament on strengthening agricultural output and food security.
The Namibian Defence Force is conducting its 19th recruit intake at Osona Military Base near Okahandja, with 1,618 recruits expected to undergo military training. Recruits from all 14 regions have begun reporting since early July, though arrivals from Hardap and Zambezi regions have been slower due to distance.
Three suspects aged 15 to 19 were arrested in possession of 20 sheep and three goats with tampered ear marks stolen from Farm Deutche Erde. The recovered livestock was identified by the owner, and the suspects are due to appear in Mariental Magistrate's Court on 13 July 2026.
Central, eastern, western and southern areas of Namibia experienced widespread frost and bitterly cold conditions on Thursday, with several locations recording sub-zero temperatures including Arbeidsgenot at -11°C and areas near the Erongo Mountains at -10°C.
Farmers in Hardap Region have received agricultural inputs, tools, and training through a Government of Namibia drought resilience project implemented with FAO and Japanese funding, helping them improve crop production, livestock management, and adapt to climate change.
The Namibia Meteorological Service forecasts sharp temperature drops on Thursday, with central and southern regions most affected. Rehoboth and Windhoek are expected to record minimum temperatures of -1°C, while several other areas in Hardap and //Kharas regions will see temperatures between 0°C and 3°C.
A Rehoboth resident lost N$15,490 after an unknown caller claimed she had won a lottery and instructed her to dial codes on her phone; the money was withdrawn from her account and has not been recovered. The Namibian Police are investigating and have renewed warnings against sharing bank details with unknown callers.
Most pensioners in Hardap region whose grants were frozen during a verification exercise can expect their funds in the July payment cycle, with eligible beneficiaries receiving full back-pay once final approval is granted. The freeze affected more than 400 beneficiaries in the region due to data mismatches between the ministry's records and the National Population Register.
Namibia Meteorological Services predicts temperatures will drop significantly in the south on Wednesday, with snowfall possible in south-western areas including Aus and Maltahöhe, frost in other southern areas, and rainfall expected across southern regions, central highlands, and Omaheke, accompanied by wind in most interior areas.
Vice President Lucia Witbooi presided over the official handover of household grid connections, Aerial Bundled Conductor networks, and public street lighting for Sunrise Informal Settlement in Gibeon, Hardap Region.
The Small Stock Revolving Scheme redistributed 253 sheep (13 rams and 240 ewes) to farmers in Hardap Region during 2025/26, with a further 168 animals planned for 2026/27. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Investment Fund initiative aims to provide vulnerable communal farmers with breeding flocks for sustainable income and food security.
The Hardap Region recorded 4,374 criminal cases over the past year, an increase of 5.09%, according to Governor Riaan Charles McNab. The rise is attributed to intensified police operations, while alcohol and drug abuse and unemployment-related poverty are identified as key contributing factors; drug-related offences declined 24.4% but female involvement increased 77%, and 26 murders and 34 major vehicle accidents were reported.
The Sinomine Tsumeb Community Trust is advertising a 12-hectare commercial agricultural plot at Stampriet in Hardap for rent, equipped with six climate-controlled greenhouses for peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and two chicken coops with capacity for 8,000 chickens per cycle. A compulsory site meeting is scheduled for 12 June for interested applicants.
Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture are conducting spraying operations against locust swarms detected in the Maltahöhe District and other areas of Hardap and Erongo regions, with swarms estimated at 5,000 to 10,000 locusts. Early response is critical to prevent damage to crops and horticultural activities before the locusts become fully airborne.
At Shark Island's joint ||Kharas and Hardap regional commemoration on Genocide Remembrance Day, Deputy Speaker Phillipus Katamelo urged Namibians to embrace forgiveness, unity, and historical truth while preserving memory of the 1904–1908 genocide, noting the island's use as a German concentration camp between 1905 and 1907 where Ovaherero and Nama prisoners faced starvation, forced labour, violence, disease, and death.
The Ministry of Agriculture's Acting Executive Director announced plans to upgrade agricultural centres nationwide into fully operational agricultural training centres by 2027, with preparatory measures underway including staff recruitment, instructor training, and material development. The Tsumis Arid Zone Agricultural Centre, which operates a poultry project with more than 1,000 dual-purpose chickens, is participating in Phase II of the China-FAO-Namibia South-South Cooperation Project and is expected to strengthen farmers' skills through training and mentorship.
Windhoek and several areas across Namibia received notable rainfall Monday into Tuesday, with measurements ranging from 7 mm to 21 mm in different locations. The Namibia Meteorological Services expects more rainfall on Wednesday in northern, central, and eastern parts of Hardap Region.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah paid tribute to late SWAPO Party Hardap Regional Coordinator Joplin Pagley !Gontes during her funeral service, describing her as a committed leader whose life was defined by service, compassion, and dedication to the party and Namibian people. !Gontes passed away on 4 May 2026, the same day Namibia commemorated the 48th anniversary of the Cassinga Massacre, and had served in education and health sectors before becoming a SWAPO Party Regional Coordinator in 2022.
Pupils at J&W Mouton Primary School near Rehoboth were sent home for the semester holiday without report cards due to an ink shortage and other administrative challenges. The situation has disadvantaged Grade 7 pupils who need reports to apply for placement at other schools for Grade 8.
A Cessna 210 crashed and burned near Sossusvlei in the Hardap Region on 10 May, killing a German pilot working for Desert Air and three German tourists. The aircraft took off from Helena farm near Hosea Kutako International Airport headed to Keerweder; the operator lost radar contact about five minutes before the scheduled landing, when the crash is believed to have occurred.
Consistent showers are expected across several areas of Namibia during the long weekend, with the southern parts of the country—particularly Hardap and //Kharas regions—most affected and at risk of localised flooding. Areas including Aus (50 mm), Grunau (26–30 mm), and Keetmanshoop (20 mm) have already received substantial rainfall between Wednesday and Thursday morning.
Residents of Gibeon in the Hardap region say they continue to suffer from the village's inadequate sewerage infrastructure. The sewerage system overflowed about a month ago, with faeces spilling into residents' yards and streets, making the area inaccessible and forcing residents to find alternative routes, while children walk through faeces to get to school.
Gibeon residents in Hardap region face high unemployment and lack of economic opportunities, with youth depending on social grants. The local village council plans to address this through brickmaking machinery, infrastructure upgrades, and skills exchange programmes to transition youth from grant dependency to economic emancipation.
Major intermittent rivers in the ||Kharas region have been flowing following recent heavy rains, though several roads are temporarily impassable. Despite the rainfall, water resources in southern Namibia remain under pressure due to high evaporation rates and limited groundwater recharge, with six southern dams currently storing 3% less water than a year ago.
Heavy rain has persisted across multiple regions including Hardap, Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, and Khomas, with areas such as Welbedacht recording up to 50 mm. The public is cautioned to avoid flooded areas and exercise care while travelling, with further rainfall expected.
The Dynamic South Dancing Club, founded by Brenden Bongo, has spent two years providing dance, music and creative arts to young people in Mariental to build confidence and skills, but the organisation lacks a permanent office, equipment and administrative tools needed to expand and apply for formal funding.
Widespread heavy showers and hailstorms this weekend caused flooded and damaged roads across Namibia, with southern regions particularly affected. Severe thunderstorms are forecast for Monday across multiple regions, with flash flooding likely.
The Namibia Meteorological Service warns of heavy thunderstorms expected in central and southern regions this weekend, with flash floods possible. This week's rainfall has already displaced residents in the Zambezi Region, damaged water infrastructure in Grootfontein, revived major rivers including the Hoarusib and Kuiseb, and affected multiple areas across the country.