Renthia Kaimbi More than 170 unemployed young people in Lüderitz are set to benefit from a free Learner’s Licence Preparation Initiative launched by the Hilaria Driving Academy. …
… The discoveries are large, the world is paying attention, global majors are flying in and out of Windhoek, Lüderitz and Walvis Bay, and every conversation seems to begin with promise. …
… Several local authorities, including Lüderitz and Karasburg, together with all village councils, returned their combined N$11.4 million, underscoring the urgency for improved execution. …
… Several places in the //Kharas Region recorded notable rainfall between Wednesday and Thursday morning, including Keetmanshoop (24 mm), Oranjemund (13 mm), Rosh-Pinah (13 mm), Lüderitz (8 mm), Koes (14 mm), Bremen (14 mm) and Karub (10 mm). …
… Whether it’s in Lüderitz or Walvis Bay, we are going to build it here.” His remarks come as the sector awaits several potentially transformative decisions, including a final investment decision by international operators and government’s approval of a local content policy intende …
… However, he stressed that several local authorities, including Lüderitz, Karasburg, and all village councils, spent none of their combined N$11.4 million allocation. …
… ive people, I was told Joseph Isaak, Rashied Rooinasie and Aloys Appolus cannot be a part of the meeting as they are suspended members. “But our operative secretary, David Eigub, was there with about 20 members including labour consultants, councillors from Mariental and Lüderitz …
… Imagine the howls of protest and screams of shock from residents in Khomasdal, Windhoek West, Ludwigsdorf, Kleine Kuppe, and the formal suburbs and industrial zones of Rundu, Ondangwa and Lüderitz, as well all the freehold farms, for example. …
A free Learner's Licence Preparation Initiative launched by Hilaria Driving Academy in Lüderitz will train more than 170 unemployed young people, addressing a key employment barrier. The programme begins 29 June 2026 and covers road traffic rules, safe driving, and examination techniques.
A free Learner's Licence Preparation Initiative launched by Hilaria Driving Academy in Lüderitz will train more than 170 unemployed young people, addressing a key employment barrier. The programme begins 29 June 2026 and covers road traffic rules, safe driving, and examination techniques.
Namibia's hospitality sector achieved 62.17% national occupancy in May 2026, up from 56.21% in May 2025 and above the pre-pandemic May 2019 benchmark of 55.83%, driven by early-season safari and nature-based tourism demand ahead of the winter dry season. The Northern region led with 65.19% occupancy, while coastal and central regions also posted gains.
An opinion piece argues that Namibia's real task is not to celebrate oil discoveries in the Orange Basin, but to develop the institutional, technical, and commercial discipline needed to govern them before project momentum shapes outcomes. Discovery creates only the possibility of achievement; the state must understand what resources it has found and govern them effectively before bad habits harden.
//Kharas Governor Dawid Gertze has raised concern over sluggish procurement processes in local authorities that are locking up millions of dollars in Road Fund Administration monies, with several municipalities and village councils returning a combined N$11.4 million and only 16.7% of N$857,100 allocated for traffic law enforcement being utilised.
Widespread frost, rain and hail have affected Hardap and //Kharas regions, with several //Kharas towns recording rainfall between 8–24 mm. The Namibia Meteorological Services predicts strong winds and heavy thundershowers will continue across the south on Friday, with possible spread to central and eastern areas, raising flash flood risks.
Oil industry executives have warned that Namibia faces a defining test as it moves closer to oil production, arguing that discoveries and foreign investment alone will mean little unless the sector translates into jobs, skills and economic opportunities for ordinary Namibians. The warnings were raised at the launch of the fourth Namibia Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, where the theme "From Decision to Dividend: Making Namibia's Oil Work for Namibians" signals a shift from celebrating offshore discoveries to converting petroleum wealth into jobs, business opportunities and skills development.
The Governor of the //Kharas Region, Dawid Gertze, has criticised local authorities for failing to utilise allocated Road Fund Administration funds, noting that out of N$29.66 million earmarked for road maintenance, only N$12.36 million was spent, resulting in an expenditure rate of below 50%. He called on underperforming municipalities and village councils to streamline their procurement processes, pointing out that several authorities including Lüderitz, Karasburg, and all village councils spent none of their combined N$11.4 million allocation.
The Landless Peoples' Movement recalled Keetmanshoop mayor Melody Swartbooi from her position and council representation over the weekend, citing unspecified reasons. A chaotic meeting involving police and a failed follow-up discussion have left party members divided and questioning the leadership's handling of the dispute.
||Kharas Regional Council chairperson Gerrit Witbooi says regional leadership wants to see the Climate Investment Fund's green hydrogen projects deliver employment, skills development, and enterprise creation for local young people, particularly in towns such as Lüderitz and Aus.
An opinion piece argues that Namibian legislation preventing poorer people from generating capital from property is a major barrier to homeownership, comparable to a hypothetical ban on private land sales that would devastate wealthier property owners.
Vice President Lucia Witbooi called for greater support for young entrepreneurs living with disabilities at the closing of National Disability Week in Lüderitz, noting that young people with disabilities are making meaningful economic contributions through business ownership despite facing barriers to funding, training, and opportunities. Witbooi directed the Division of Disability Affairs to revive and operationalise income-generating projects for persons with disabilities through capacity building and additional resources.
The Ministry of Agriculture has announced that an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment will be undertaken to advance the Neckartal Dam project into Phase Two, which aims to develop the irrigation component. The project covers approximately 19,000 hectares of government farms in the //Kharas Region.
The Governor of //Kharas Region called on local communities to share ideas on how the green hydrogen industry should develop in the region, including priorities on employment, land use, and environmental safeguards. He emphasized that stakeholder engagement ensures communities have a voice in development plans, particularly for the anticipated Hyphen Hydrogen Energy project.
An opinion piece argues that Damara and San people, who also suffered under German colonial forces between 1904 and 1908, remain largely invisible in Namibia's genocide remembrance and discussions of reparations, despite historical evidence that they were caught up in military campaigns, forced removals, imprisonment, and concentration camps alongside Nama and Ovaherero communities.
Environmental Lawyers Network of Namibia chairperson Des-Rose Engelbrecht cautions that while renewable energy is essential for combating climate change, solar and wind farm projects can negatively affect ecosystems without careful planning and regulation. She notes Namibia has a strong legal framework but says effective implementation remains critical as the country aims to increase renewable energy capacity from 367MW to 700MW.
Brown hyenas in Tsau //Khaeb National Park have remained stable since 1997 with an estimated 200 to 300 individuals in the park, benefiting from successful breeding and low human disturbance. The Brown Hyena Research Project, supported by Namdeb and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, studies the species' movements and warns that fences and busy roads could disrupt their long-distance coastal travels and threaten the population.
The National Planning Commission director general said Namibia is ready to move from planning to implementation of green hydrogen projects, despite the absence of dedicated legislation. The government aims to create 30,000 green jobs by 2030 and position Namibia as a low-carbon industry platform for southern Africa.
An opinion piece critiques a Namibian government remembrance programme held in Lüderitz on 27 May 2026, arguing that by framing traditional leaders' and affected communities' concerns as "misinformation," the programme treats legitimate structural and historical critiques as a communication problem rather than engaging with substantive objections to the government's development model.
The San Chiefs Council and Damara King's Council are demanding formal inclusion in Namibia's ongoing genocide reparations negotiations with Germany, citing historical atrocities including extermination campaigns, displacement and forced labour affecting their communities. The councils are calling for seats at the negotiating table alongside Ovaherero and Nama representatives, and for reparations and restitution including compensation for ancestral lands and cultural losses to directly benefit affected descendant communities.
The Nama Traditional Leaders Association cautioned that Namibia's development push risks repeating historical exclusion patterns if affected communities remain sidelined from ownership and decision-making. The association argued that a true renaissance should include restorative justice, equitable ownership, cultural protection and meaningful participation in national wealth creation, rather than corporate social responsibility donations used as substitutes for meaningful redistribution.
Namibia observed Genocide Remembrance Day on 28 May with commemorations across the country, including in Lüderitz, Swakopmund and Windhoek, paying tribute to victims of the 1904–1908 colonial war against Herero and Nama people. German Ambassador Thorsten Hutter attended the main commemoration at Shark Island and reaffirmed Germany's commitment to reconciliation and acknowledgement of historical responsibility.
The Namibia Youth Energy Forum will hold its first Lüderitz Oil & Gas Youth Open Day on 20 June at the Lüderitz Waterfront Auditorium, aiming to connect young people and local businesses with opportunities in Namibia's growing offshore oil and gas sector through career guidance, workforce readiness and supplier discussions.
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.
National Assembly deputy speaker Phillipus Katamelo said that the 1904–1908 genocide against the Ovaherero and Nama people can only be addressed through meaningful action, not words alone. He urged companies operating in Namibia to focus on improving social conditions and creating jobs in local communities as a way to help correct historical injustices.
The ||Kharas and Hardap regions are holding a two-day programme in Lüderitz led by regional governors, bringing together government, traditional authorities, youth, and development partners to promote unity, remembrance, and development ahead of the annual Genocide Remembrance Day commemoration on 28 May. The programme includes a Heritage Meets Development Stakeholder Conference themed "From Genocide to Renaissance," focusing on youth participation, cultural preservation, sustainable development, and inclusive economic growth.
Lüderitz will host the annual Genocide Remembrance commemoration at Shark Island on 27–28 May 2026, bringing together government leaders, communities and youth to honour victims of the genocide. The event includes a Youth Engagement Session on 27 May aimed at encouraging reflection on history and preserving Namibia's shared heritage.
Thirty-six years after independence, Namibia has strong democratic institutions and laws but governance remains ineffective at local level, with power struggles in local authorities reflecting deeper failures in decentralisation and alignment of roles, according to the Windhoek Observer.
As Lüderitz positions itself as a hub for Namibia's green hydrogen ambitions, residents argue that the promised development has not improved their daily living conditions, citing struggles with sanitation, housing, electricity access, and lack of opportunities for ordinary people.
Namibia Power Corporation has asked the Electricity Control Board to intervene in efforts to recover N$1 billion owed by local state entities and Angola's power utility for electricity. NamPower says 14 local authorities have breached repayment arrangements totalling about N$635.3 million, and prolonged non-payment could undermine the security of the country's electricity supply.
InnoVent's Diaz wind farm near Lüderitz is using Spanish engineering company Nabrawind's Skylift technology to build turbines without heavy cranes, reducing costs and wind-related installation delays. The self-erecting system assembles tower sections progressively from the ground, addressing the challenge that the region's strong winds are both an asset for energy production and an obstacle to traditional construction methods.