Namibia Minute.
Friday, 24 April 2026
A daily Namibian brief · Est. 2026
Windhoek—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Organization

Roads Authority

Also known as: RA · Roads Authority Namibia · RA Namibia · Roads Authority-RA Namibia

Namibian state entity responsible for road infrastructure management, licensing, and vehicle registration, facing fraud allegations, budget shortfalls, and operational challenges.

Agriculture & Land

Namibia celebrates rural progress while gaps persist after 36 years

The News

Three decades into independence, Namibia has expanded rural infrastructure including water supplies reaching 92.85% of rural households, constructed 419 new schools mostly in villages, and grown the road network from 41,800km to nearly 49,000km. However, challenges including high poverty, food insecurity, and uneven access to services remain, with experts noting the urban-rural development gap has not been fully closed.

20 March 2026 · New Era →

Friday 20 March

  1. Namibia celebrates rural progress while gaps persist after 36 years

    Three decades into independence, Namibia has expanded rural infrastructure including water supplies reaching 92.85% of rural households, constructed 419 new schools mostly in villages, and grown the road network from 41,800km to nearly 49,000km. However, challenges including high poverty, food insecurity, and uneven access to services remain, with experts noting the urban-rural development gap has not been fully closed.

    20 March 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 17 March

  1. Korea donates 4,896 tonnes rice amid Zambezi floods

    Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has welcomed a donation of 4,896 tonnes of rice from South Korea, valued at USD 1.7 million and delivered via the World Food Programme, which will benefit approximately 300,000 vulnerable Namibians across all 14 regions between April and December 2026 as the country responds to floods in Zambezi Region and ongoing food insecurity from the 2024–2025 drought. Flooding has closed sections of the Bukalo–Sifuha road in Zambezi Region, with authorities warning residents in low-lying areas to relocate and advising motorists to use alternative routes.

    17 March 2026 · Informanté →

Saturday 14 March

  1. Roads Authority resumes Hong Kong vehicle registration after fraud delay

    The Roads Authority has resumed accepting applications for registration of motor vehicles imported from Hong Kong at all Natis offices, following a temporary suspension due to fraudulent misrepresentation of vehicle ages. Applicants must comply with regulatory requirements and submit all necessary supporting documents to avoid processing delays.

    14 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 12 March

  1. Roads Authority CEO proceeds with dismissals despite legal warnings

    The Roads Authority's independent lawyer warned CEO Hippy Tjivikua against dismissing two senior executives over a N$16 million vehicle procurement tender, citing serious procedural errors in the disciplinary process that could result in labour disputes. Tjivikua proceeded with the dismissals anyway; the fired executives have appealed, arguing the process was flawed.

    12 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 10 March

  1. The Namibian issues correction on Roads Authority iPad purchase story

    The Namibian has published a correction to a 6 March article about the Roads Authority spending N$162,000 on iPads for temporary board members, clarifying that CE Hippy Tjivikua did not request the purchase—it occurred before his appointment.

    10 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Sunday 8 March

  1. Roads Authority spent N$162,000 on iPads for six-month temporary board

    The Roads Authority purchased seven iPad Pro 11 devices for its acting board members appointed for a six-month term, prompting complaints from within the agency that the expenditure was unnecessary for temporary appointees. The minister and RA officials defended the purchase as a standard procurement of tools of trade for official business, noting the devices remain the authority's property.

    8 March 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. Swakopmund roadworthy testing centre backlog strains motorists

    Thousands of motorists at Swakopmund face delays of up to a month for roadworthy testing appointments at the Natis centre, attributed by the Transport Minister to increased demand following the temporary closure of the Walvis Bay testing facility. The backlog has sparked concerns from road safety experts, vehicle dealers, and public transport operators about unsafe vehicles remaining on the road and business disruptions, though the Roads Authority says it will extend weekend hours to address the delays.

    8 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 27 February

  1. Fired RA executives challenge fraud allegations, appeal dismissals

    Two senior Roads Authority executives dismissed over alleged tender irregularities have filed appeals and rejected wrongdoing claims, arguing the disciplinary process was flawed and that no financial loss occurred. They contend that only N$6 million was available for the vehicle procurement at the time, not the full N$16 million project value, and that the vehicles were ultimately leased at about N$5 million over four years under an existing contract.

    27 February 2026 · New Era →

  2. Heavy rainfall closes roads in //Kharas region temporarily

    Several roads in the //Kharas region have been closed temporarily due to heavy rains and flooding. The Roads Authority is monitoring affected areas and urging the public to use alternative routes and report any road damage.

    27 February 2026 · New Era →

  3. Namibia's road damage vastly exceeds allocated repair funding

    The Road Fund Administration has allocated only N$2.5 million for flood-damaged local authority roads in 2025/26 despite an estimated N$658 million in nationwide damage, leaving a funding gap of roughly N$655.5 million. Road users including taxi drivers say deteriorating conditions are crippling their livelihoods as they spend earnings on frequent vehicle repairs.

    27 February 2026 · The Namibian →

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