Also known as: member of parliament Rodney Cloete
Shadow minister who appears in coverage of governance, fuel procurement transparency, board compensation, and Fishrot corruption accountability.
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New Era
Rodney Cloete questioned why public pressure was needed to force ministry transparency
“After the ministry's statement, official opposition party Independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian Rodney Cloete questioned why it took public pressure to force the ministry to be transparent and why no warning was issued when the first victims were rescued last year.”
24 Namibians fall prey to Asian ‘traffickers’The Namibian
Independent Patriots for Change chief whip Rodney Cloete describes the initial failure to grant the streamer's private jet a landing permit as a failure of vision
“Independent Patriots for Change chief whip Rodney Cloete describes the initial failure to grant the streamer's private jet a landing permit as a failure of vision.”
IShowSpeed says Namibia still part of African tourThe Namibian
Independent Patriots for Change chief whip Rodney Cloete describes the initial failure to grant the streamer's private jet a landing permit as a failure of vision
“Independent Patriots for Change chief whip Rodney Cloete describes the initial failure to grant the streamer's private jet a landing permit as a failure of vision.”
IShowSpeed says Namibia still part of African tourNamibia's Pan-African Parliament delegation, led by Deputy Speaker Phillipus Katamelo, has commenced Permanent Committee sittings ahead of the First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Parliament, scheduled to begin on 27 July 2026 in Midrand, South Africa. The committee meetings, running until 25 July, form part of preparations to review matters under the various PAP committees' mandates.
22 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia's Pan-African Parliament delegation, led by Deputy Speaker Phillipus Katamelo, has commenced Permanent Committee sittings ahead of the First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Parliament, scheduled to begin on 27 July 2026 in Midrand, South Africa. The committee meetings, running until 25 July, form part of preparations to review matters under the various PAP committees' mandates.
22 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Seventy-two Namibians repatriated from South Africa following xenophobic attacks say they hope to return once anti-immigrant violence subsides, as the government indicated it will assess future assistance requests on a case-by-case basis and that repatriated citizens remain free to decide where they live and work.
16 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Former mines and energy minister Tom Alweendo has called on the government to publish a clear implementation plan for Namibia's nine cooperation agreements with China signed during a presidential state visit in July, saying the country must move from diplomatic agreements to concrete industrial planning with measurable economic benefits and identify priority minerals, processing stages, infrastructure gaps, and annual targets for investment and exports.
14 July 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah led a delegation of six ministers and more than 200 businesspeople to China to pursue partnerships in mining, agriculture, and logistics. China was Namibia's second-largest trading partner last year, with trade reaching N$40 billion.
7 July 2026 · The Namibian →
More than 100 Namibians living in South Africa are voluntarily seeking repatriation to Namibia amid rising xenophobic tensions; Namibian authorities are arranging repatriation and verification processes following reports of attacks on foreign nationals.
1 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibian transport companies are withdrawing drivers from South Africa ahead of a planned anti-immigrant protest and a 30 June deadline set by protesters for illegal immigrants to leave. The withdrawals are disrupting cross-border trade, with companies citing driver safety concerns and insurer warnings of security risks.
29 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Institute of Public Policy Research has released its procurement tracker and called for an in-depth investigation into healthcare sector procurement, describing it as a persistent governance challenge. Research shows corruption in the sector has been ongoing for a decade, and the IPPR notes that key laws including the Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 and the Access to Information Act of 2022 have been passed but not implemented.
22 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Independent Patriots for Change has accused President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of remaining silent on human rights abuses during a state visit to Tanzania, where the main opposition leader is imprisoned on a treason charge and UN experts have condemned extrajudicial killings and mass arbitrary detentions following the October 2025 elections.
22 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Independent Patriots for Change has called on President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to publicly speak out against human rights abuses during her state visit to Tanzania, specifically demanding the release of Chadema opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who has been detained since April 2025 on a treason charge. The party cites a UN finding of unlawful detention and an American Bar Association assessment that the prosecution is politically motivated.
21 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Independent Patriots for Change says Namibia must make beneficial ownership information public following the country's removal from the Financial Action Task Force's greylist. Shadow minister Rodney Cloete states that while Namibia corrected gaps in beneficial ownership transparency to exit the greylist, the register remains effectively closed to journalists and the public through the Business and Intellectual Property Authority.
20 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The founder of South Africa's March and March organisation, which focuses on illegal immigration, has said Namibians are "law-abiding citizens" and not targets of anti-immigrant sentiment, despite xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa. She described Nigerians as the most problematic nationality, saying they enter without documentation and engage in criminal activity.
17 June 2026 · The Namibian →
A Namibian-registered bus was hijacked in Johannesburg on 9 June, leaving passengers stranded; the Independent Patriots for Change accused the government and High Commission in Pretoria of failing to provide meaningful assistance to the operator and passengers, some of whom had to pay for their own accommodation.
14 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibian entrepreneurs using the "order with me" business model say xenophobic attacks in South Africa are disrupting their livelihoods and forcing some to stop travelling there for supplies. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare will meet with informal traders tomorrow to discuss customs duties, taxation and regulatory challenges.
12 June 2026 · New Era →
Former Namcor acting managing director Maureen Hinda-Mbuende has criticised the government's award of a N$7.2 billion three-month fuel supply contract to Vitol, saying the deal is "counter-productive and monopolistic" and will damage the downstream fuel sector's long-term competitiveness. Hinda-Mbuende claims Namcor offered a cheaper deal and that Vitol's ownership of Shell and Engen service stations creates conflicts of interest that could harm competitors.
9 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The US State Department is reportedly cutting visa-issuing consulates and embassies on the African continent, including Namibia's, according to the Associated Press. The closest remaining visa-processing hubs would be South Africa's consulates in Cape Town and Johannesburg, or Angola's Luanda consulate.
3 June 2026 · The Namibian →
The Independent Patriots for Change has called on the energy ministry to explain why it awarded international oil trader Vitol a three-month exclusive fuel supply contract without competitive tender. Shadow minister Rodney Cloete questioned the lack of transparency, the full terms of the agreement including pricing, and cited Vitol's 2020 admission of bribery in three countries.
2 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Deputy Speaker Philippus Katamelo has been appointed chairperson of the Pan-African Parliament's Permanent Committee on Cooperation, International Relations and Conflict Resolution, a position that involves guiding the committee's work on foreign policy, diplomacy, and peace issues. Katamelo is heading Namibia's parliamentary delegation at the Extraordinary Session of the 7th Pan-African Parliament in South Africa.
5 May 2026 · New Era →
Board earnings for chairs and senior members at Namibian banks, listed companies and state-owned enterprises range from N$400,000 to N$1.6 million annually. Opposition chief whip Rodney Cloete argues board work has shifted from part-time public service to a full-time income stream for a politically connected group, often appointed through personal connections rather than merit.
4 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The Pan-African Parliament in South Africa this week is electing a new bureau after resolving a 15-year argument about leadership representation. In May 2017, the PAP passed a resolution to introduce regional rotation of the presidency, addressing a pattern in which only east, west, and central African leaders held the top position during the institution's first 18 years.
28 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Iceland's finance minister Daði Már Kristófersson has said corruption in the Fishrot case reflects Namibia and not Iceland, following media coverage of Icelandic fishing company Samherji's operations. Namibian MP Rodney Cloete rejected the statement, arguing it ignores the role of foreign companies involved in the scandal.
27 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Swapo deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga has dismissed allegations published by Forbidden Stories, based on leaked documents linked to Russian intelligence, that he solicited millions of dollars to support Swapo's 2024 election campaign. He said he will not pursue legal action and denied ever requesting external funding for the party.
25 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Independent Patriots for Change lawmaker Rodney Cloete has challenged Namibia Tourism Board vice chairperson Rachel Nathaniel-Koch's nomination as Lands Tribunal board chairperson, citing alleged financial misconduct including N$3.4 million in excessive travel expenses and her previous removal from the Transportation Commission. Cloete raised questions with the agriculture minister about whether she is fit for the position and demanded a full vetting report; Nathaniel-Koch responded that she was unaware of the nomination and is willing to respond once the matter is clarified with her.
14 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian Rodney Cloete questioned the appointment of Namibian Ports Authority chairperson Jerome Mouton, whose company Myrtle Growth Capital Namibia was deregistered by financial regulators after N$7.3 million of Government Institutions Pension Fund money intended for a school was diverted. Cloete asked Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi whether due diligence was conducted before Mouton's appointment and called for disclosure of all Namport board members' business interests.
4 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Independent Patriots for Change shadow minister Rodney Cloete has called for urgent multilateral mediation and restraint following military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, warning that regional escalation threatens Namibia's cost of living through disrupted shipping lanes and rising fuel and food prices.
3 March 2026 · The Namibian →
President Nandi-Ndaitwah is reportedly pushing to end the practice of allocating state-funded mansions to former presidents, preferring instead to accept a portion of benefits for her own retirement home. The review of the Former Presidents' Pension and Other Benefits Act will also examine extending benefits to vice presidents, amid criticism that such perks are excessive given widespread hardship among ordinary Namibians.
27 February 2026 · The Namibian →
The Independent Patriots for Change appointed Rodrick Likando as its new parliamentary chief whip on Thursday, replacing Rodney Cloete. Likando described the change as "standard procedure" and a "normal change of guard."
21 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Several Namibian lawmakers have given notice of parliamentary questions on pressing national issues: judicial understaffing and magistrate workload; the country's grey listing status and oil sector regulatory violations; support needed for dairy and poultry sectors amid production gains; drug use and rehabilitation services in schools; and electricity tariff methodology and consumer protection measures.
18 February 2026 · New Era →
With heightened US interest in Namibia's uranium, lithium, and oil resources, Namibian trade officials say they will promote mineral beneficiation, downstream processing, and manufacturing partnerships rather than exporting raw materials alone. The government aims to position Namibia as a stable investment partner and regional logistics hub, with US ambassador visiting the Erongo region to assess energy opportunities including the Orange Basin and Port of Walvis Bay.
17 February 2026 · New Era →
International oil giants TotalEnergies and Petrobras announced the acquisition of a stake in oil block PEL104 without prior ministerial approval, prompting the Namibian government to declare the move unlawful. Both companies have since denied wrongdoing and said the transaction remains subject to regulatory approval from the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy.
11 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Lawmakers have urged the government to negotiate stronger, value-driven deals as the US seeks to position Namibia as a strategic partner for uranium and offshore oil and gas resources. Parliamentarians stress that Namibia must prioritize national interests and negotiate from strength, with some citing Venezuela's institutional collapse as a cautionary lesson.
10 February 2026 · The Namibian →