Also known as: Madiba · Mandela · founding president Nelson Mandela · President Mandela · anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela · Tata
Nelson Mandela — former South African president whose personal artifacts, including Robben Island prison cell key, were cleared for auction sale by South African court.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Roelf Meyer, a former apartheid-era negotiator and longtime friend of Ramaphosa, as ambassador to the United States. The appointment comes after the country's previous envoy, Ebrahim Rasool, was expelled last year following his criticism of President Trump, leaving the post vacant amid strained diplomatic relations.
16 April 2026 · The Namibian →
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Roelf Meyer, a former apartheid-era negotiator and longtime friend of Ramaphosa, as ambassador to the United States. The appointment comes after the country's previous envoy, Ebrahim Rasool, was expelled last year following his criticism of President Trump, leaving the post vacant amid strained diplomatic relations.
16 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Zebaldt Ngaruka Eric Quest, a former star midfielder for Black Africa and African Stars, now runs Quest Eleven academy mentoring youth players across multiple age groups since its establishment in 2023. The 57-year-old retired player aims to develop technically skilled players for Namibia's national teams while emphasizing character building and discipline.
14 April 2026 · New Era →
An analysis marking Namibia's 36 years of independence contrasts the jubilation of 1990 with present-day inequality and governance failures, arguing that the liberation movement's slogans of "Solidarity, Freedom, Justice" have been compromised by elite self-enrichment and a persistence of class-based oppression under continued Swapo rule.
20 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Mosiuoa Lekota, a prominent anti-apartheid campaigner who served as South Africa's defence minister and ANC chairperson before founding the rival Congress of the People party, has died after a period of illness. He was imprisoned on Robben Island during apartheid and broke from the ANC in 2008 over corruption concerns.
5 March 2026 · The Namibian →
An Affirmative Repositioning MP has moved a motion in Parliament calling for the preservation of founding president Sam Nujoma's legacy, pointing to how other African nations such as Ghana and South Africa have honored their founding leaders through museums and heritage sites.
4 March 2026 · The Namibian →
American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who died at 84, visited Namibia in February 1990 just before independence and met with founding president Sam Nujoma. Namibian leaders including President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and PDM leader McHenry Venaani praised Jackson's support for Namibia's liberation struggle and his broader advocacy for justice and human rights globally.
23 February 2026 · The Namibian →
John Steenhuisen, leader of South Africa's Democratic Alliance and agriculture minister in the coalition government, announced he will step down at the party's April congress following multiple scandals including poor handling of foot-and-mouth disease, personal financial mismanagement, and controversy over the sacking of Environment Minister Dion George. His departure opens the way for successors including Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
17 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Newly released US Department of Justice records show convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein cultivated extensive ties to South Africa dating to the 1980s, networked with prominent South African businessmen and officials, and used scouts and intermediaries to recruit South African women and girls through modelling opportunities and employment offers.
4 February 2026 · The Namibian →
South Africa's Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini used a derogatory term for African migrants and called for them to leave the country during a speech in KwaZulu-Natal, drawing concern from human rights experts who warn his comments risk encouraging vigilante action against foreigners in a region already marked by anti-migrant tensions.
2 February 2026 · The Namibian →
South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed a bid by the heritage authority to block the export and sale of 70 personal items belonging to Nelson Mandela's daughter and a former prison guard, including a cell key from Robben Island, sunglasses, and a signed constitution copy. Mandela's daughter plans to use proceeds from the auction to build a memorial garden at the late president's grave.
24 January 2026 · The Namibian →