Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
June 2026
The Namibian
Judge President Petrus Damasebexplained in his guidance notesthe focus has shifted from determining blame to determining whether marriage has disintegrated beyond repair
Source
“As judge president Petrus Damaseb explained in his guidance notes, the focus has shifted from determining who is to blame to determining whether the marriage has disintegrated beyond realistic repair.”
Judge president Petrus Damasebissued guidance statingnew divorce framework focuses on irretrievable breakdown rather than wrongdoing
Source
“According to guidance issued by judge president Petrus Damaseb, the new divorce framework focuses on whether a marriage has broken down irretrievably rather than identifying a spouse's wrongdoing.”
High Court Judge-President Petrus DamasebconfirmedNamibia transitioned from fault-based to no-fault divorce system
Source
“This was confirmed by High Court Judge-President Petrus Damaseb, who explained that Namibia has officially transitioned from a fault-based divorce system to a modern no-fault divorce system founded on the single ground of irretrievable breakdown of marriage.”
Judge President Petrus Damasebsaidthe law represents one of the most significant reforms in Namibia's family law history
Source
“In a guidance note issued yesterday, judge president Petrus Damaseb said the law represents "one of the most significant reforms in the history of Namibia's family law system".”
Judge president Petrus DamasebsaidSchickerling was a pillar of stability during times of change
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“The registrar of Namibia's High Court and Supreme Court, Elsie Schickerling, has been "a pillar of stability during times of change", judge president and deputy chief justice Petrus Damaseb said yesterday.”
deputy chief justice Petrus DamasebdesignatedShafimana Ueitele to administer the oath
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“"I have been directed to inform that deputy chief justice Petrus Damaseb has designated deputy judge president of the High Court Shafimana Ueitele to administer the oath or solemn affirmation for Mushelenga," the letter reads.”
Petrus Damasebwasthe then NFA president during early meetings about the tournament partnership
Source
“The former secretary general says he vividly remembers the early meetings at The Namibian's offices, "involving our team, Richard, the then NFA president Petrus Damaseb, and myself".”
The Dissolution of Marriages Act of 2024, which came into effect on 3 June, abolished the old fault-based system and now allows divorce on a single ground: irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. Spouses no longer need to prove adultery, cruelty, malicious desertion, mental illness or habitual criminality.
Why it matters
New Dissolution of Marriages Act eliminates fault-based divorce system, allowing separation on the single ground of irretrievable breakdown.
The Dissolution of Marriages Act of 2024, which came into effect on 3 June, abolished the old fault-based system and now allows divorce on a single ground: irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. Spouses no longer need to prove adultery, cruelty, malicious desertion, mental illness or habitual criminality.
Traditional leaders have responded to Namibia's new Dissolution of Marriages Act 2024, which replaced the fault-based divorce system with a no-fault regime based on irretrievable breakdown and came into operation on 3 June. Ondonga Traditional Authority spokesperson Frans Enkali says customary authorities traditionally did not focus on blame in marriage endings and already distinguished between jointly acquired assets and inherited property, practices that align with the law's aims to move away from adversarial proceedings.
Namibia's new Dissolution of Marriages Act, 2024, which came into effect on 3 June 2026, replaces fault-based divorce with a single ground of irretrievable breakdown of marriage. Courts may now consider factors including lack of companionship, emotional estrangement, and communication breakdown, rather than infidelity alone, though a divorce will not be granted automatically.
The Dissolution of Marriages Act of 2024, in effect today, replaces Namibia's fault-based divorce system with a no-fault framework based on the irretrievable breakdown of marriage, eliminating adultery and other matrimonial offences as grounds for divorce. Judge President Petrus Damaseb described the reform as "one of the most significant reforms in the history of Namibia's family law system," noting that the new emphasis is on whether the marriage has disintegrated beyond realistic restoration rather than identifying moral blame.
Namibia's Dissolution of Marriages Act 2024 took effect on 3 June 2026, replacing fault-based divorce grounds (adultery, cruelty, desertion) with a single ground of "irretrievable breakdown of the marriage." The reform also empowers Magistrate Courts to grant divorces for the first time, and seeks to reduce hostility and simplify procedures.
The Supreme Court of Namibia ruled that the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia did not meet the legal standard to claim "wasted costs" in a dispute linked to the veterinary cordon fence. The court found that the Board's claim that changes to court papers caused it to incur unnecessary legal costs did not meet the threshold for wasted costs.
Judge president Petrus Damaseb praised retiring High Court and Supreme Court registrar Elsie Schickerling, who has served in the role for 17 years, for introducing judicial case management, court-connected mediation, electronic case filing, and overseeing the establishment of the High Court's northern division and building renovations. Schickerling is retiring from public service at the end of April.
Former information and communication technology minister Peya Mushelenga will be sworn into the National Assembly on Friday to fill the parliamentary vacancy left by James Uerikua's death, according to NA spokesperson Sakeus Kadhikwa.
Former NFA administrator Barry Rukoro credits the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup, launched in 2001, with identifying and nurturing talent that led to Namibia's 2015 Cosafa Cup win and subsequent international tournament qualifications. The partnership also transformed the NFA's commercial fortunes and spurred national football infrastructure development.
Gladice Pickering was sworn in as an Acting Judge of the High Court on Monday, serving from 16 March to 30 June 2026. Her appointment requires temporary replacement in her role as executive director at the Office of the Prime Minister, with Shivute Indongo taking over the position.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah addressed the Supreme Court on the opening of the 2026 legal year, emphasising the constitutional independence of the judiciary, its role in democratic governance, and the need to address challenges including case backlogs, judicial security concerns, and rising crime affecting the tourism sector.
The Supreme Court has found that the Namibian Competition Commission acted unlawfully by delegating its authority to investigate alleged price-fixing in the pharmaceutical sector to its secretary rather than exercising that power itself. The court has referred the matter back to the commission to determine whether to continue the investigation against the Pharmaceutical Society of Namibia and pharmacies accused of imposing a uniform 50% mark-up on prescription medicines.