Also known as: Supreme Court in Angola · US Supreme Court · Supreme Court of the Republic of Namibia · Supreme Court in Windhoek · Supreme Court of the United States
Namibia's highest court; upholds High Court judgments and issues rulings on constitutional and civil matters including government disputes and commercial cases.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
Supreme Court dismissed appeal by CPBN and education ministry on hostel food tender
“The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia and the education ministry, invalidating a multimillion-dollar tender for government school hostel food.”
Top court dismisses hostel food tender appealInformanté
Supreme Court upheld High Court decision to cancel school food tender
“THE Supreme Court has upheld a previous judgment by the High Court to cancel a multimillion-dollar school food tender which had been found to have some irregularities.”
Supreme Court upholds decision to cancel school hostel tenderThe Namibian
Supreme Court hosted event marking International Day for Judicial Well-being
“Shivute said in Windhoek on Saturday, at an event to mark the International Day for Judicial Well-being. "A set of scales, however finely made, cannot weigh anything accurately once its balance is damaged. Neither can we," Shivute added in remarks made at the Supreme Court.”
Chief justice puts focus on judicial well-beingWindhoek Observer
Supreme Court hosted Namibia's first commemoration of the International Day for Judicial Well-being
“Shivute made the remarks on Saturday at the Supreme Court in Windhoek during Namibia's first commemoration of the International Day for Judicial Well-being, held under the theme, "Judicial Well-being and Integrity: From Individual Resilience to Institutional Responsibility".”
Chief justice warns judicial pressure must not come at cost of healthThe Namibian
Supreme Court ordered that Khan be taken to hospital within 48 hours for medical examination following health complaints
“The Supreme Court had on Tuesday ordered that the cricketer-turned-politician be taken to the hospital within 48 hours to be examined by physicians, following complaints about his health.”
Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan back in jail after hospital examinationInformanté
Supreme Court has pending appeal lodged by PUMA seeking to overturn NAC decision granting Central Oil Namibia tender
“He thus ordered that the NAC restore PUMA's possession of the airport premises in accordance with the order of this Court granted on 2 April, pending an appeal in the Supreme Court lodged by PUMA, which seeks to overturn a decision by the NAC to grant another company, Central Oil Namibia (Pty) Ltd, a tender to carry out aviation fuelling services.”
High Court orders Namibia Airports Company to allow PUMA Energy to resume fuelling businessThe Namibian
The US Supreme Court struck down Trump's Liberation Day tariffs imposed in April last year
“Many of the wide-ranging duties Trump imposed on global trading partners in his so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs in April last year were struck down by the US Supreme Court.”
US states sue to block Trump tariffs impacting dozens of countriesWindhoek Observer
US Supreme Court struck down Trump's tariffs on Namibia as illegal
“However, this move was found to be illegal and struck down by the US Supreme Court.”
Namibia not included in US trade investigation list over forced labourThe Namibian
US Supreme Court ruled many tariffs imposed under emergency powers were illegally enacted
“The US Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that many of the tariffs imposed globally under emergency powers were illegally enacted.”
US imposes tariffs on dozens of trade partners, citing forced labour concernsWindhoek Observer
Supreme Court upheld NSFAF's cross-appeal and set aside the finding that Nghiwete had been unfairly dismissed
“According to the claim, the Supreme Court's judgment, delivered on 6 September 2024, upheld NSFAF's cross-appeal, set aside the finding that Nghiwete had been unfairly dismissed and overturned the order requiring the fund to compensate her.”
NSFAF’s N$4.3 million recovery lawsuit moves to next stageThe Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education, upholding a High Court decision that set aside a multimillion-dollar tender for supplying food to government school hostels. The court found the procurement process unlawful because the board continued proceedings after the 180-day bid validity period had expired.
7 hours ago · The Namibian →
The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education, upholding a High Court decision that set aside a multimillion-dollar tender for supplying food to government school hostels. The court found the procurement process unlawful because the board continued proceedings after the 180-day bid validity period had expired.
7 hours ago · The Namibian →
The Supreme Court upheld a High Court judgment canceling a multimillion-dollar school hostel food supply tender for government schools across Namibia's 14 regions after the Central Procurement Board and Ministry of Education appealed the decision. The tender was found to have irregularities, including the exclusion of a bidder for failing to provide an English translation of an Afrikaans-language supporting document.
4 September 2026 · Informanté →
Chief Justice Peter Shivute said professional demands on judicial officers must not come at the cost of their health, and emphasized a close relationship between judicial well-being and proper administration of justice. His remarks came at an event marking the UN-proclaimed International Day for Judicial Well-being on 25 July.
25 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Chief Justice Peter Shivute has called for greater institutional responsibility for the well-being of judicial officers and support staff, warning that individual resilience cannot indefinitely compensate for heavy workloads, inadequate support and demanding working conditions. He stressed that judicial stress should not be stigmatised and that the well-being of judicial officers is closely linked to the proper administration of justice.
24 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved back to prison on Friday after doctors at an Islamabad hospital deemed him "medically fit" following an examination ordered by the Supreme Court. Khan was examined by a team of qualified doctors including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician; the court order also allowed him to see his family, including his sister who visited him in prison.
21 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The Kunene Regional Council's 2026/27 budget has remained frozen since March due to a legal dispute over the reinstatement of chief regional officer George Kamseb, leaving the council unable to pay utilities and halting operational and capital projects. The council is only managing to pay staff salaries through a monthly arrangement involving two finance officials travelling to Windhoek, and is awaiting the Supreme Court's pronouncement on the matter.
18 August 2026 · The Namibian →
The Windhoek High Court has clarified that an earlier order restoring Puma Energy Namibia's possession of airport facilities at Eros and Andimba Toivo ya Toivo airports also required the Namibia Airports Company to allow Puma to resume its aviation fuelling business. Acting judge James Devittie found that restoring physical possession alone was insufficient, and that the April order covered both corporeal possession of the premises and the incorporeal aspect of operating the fuelling business.
14 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Windhoek High Court has ordered the Namibia Airports Company to reinstate PUMA Energy on the premises of Eros and Ondangwa airports so it may resume aviation fuelling services, following NAC's alleged lockout of PUMA employees in March 2026.
13 August 2026 · Informanté →
Entrépo Finance, a microlender that relied on government payroll deductions for civil servants, has stopped granting new loans after the Ministry of Finance ended its payroll deduction management system in November. The company, 55.5% owned by Capricorn Group, has retrenched close to 20 employees and has not approved a new loan in more than six months, according to sources.
6 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's Deputy Chief Justice Petrus Damaseb has been nominated to serve on a Tanzanian presidential commission of inquiry investigating violence that followed Tanzania's October 2025 general elections, following a request from Tanzanian authorities for a Namibian High Court judge to join the commission.
5 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Petrus Damaseb, Namibia's deputy chief justice, has been nominated to serve on a Tanzanian presidential commission of inquiry investigating post-election violence following Tanzania's 2025 general elections. The Judicial Service Commission said Damaseb's judicial and administrative experience made him suitable for the sensitive role, and arrangements will be made to ensure his Namibian judicial duties continue without disruption.
5 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Twenty-five US states have sued the Trump administration over tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on goods from 60 trading partners, including the UK, China, and the European Union, imposed in July citing forced labour concerns. The coalition of Democratic states argues the tariffs are "arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law," while the White House defends the duties as lawful action against unreasonable trade practices.
4 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia was not included among 60 economies investigated by the United States over concerns about forced labour in imports, according to a US presidential memorandum issued on 23 July. The exclusion means Namibia faces neither the proposed 12.5% ad valorem tariff nor the lower 10% tariff rate that apply to investigated nations.
28 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The US has imposed new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on 60 trading partners, including the UK, China, the EU, Canada, Japan and India, citing claims they failed to properly stop forced labour. The duties came into effect on Friday and represent the latest escalation in the trade war under President Donald Trump.
24 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The High Court has ordered NSFAF and former chief executive Hilya Nghiwete to file a joint case management report by 4 August 2026 ahead of a case management conference on 11 August 2026. NSFAF is seeking to recover N$4,301,277.36 paid to Nghiwete under an arbitration award that lost its legal basis following a Supreme Court ruling upholding her dismissal.
22 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The High Court has postponed the Fishrot fraud, corruption and racketeering case—concerning alleged unlawful allocation of Namibian fishing quotas—to 19 October. Former attorney general Sacky Shanghala, one of ten charged, said a Supreme Court petition challenging the judge's refusal to step down from the case remains pending, and a related civil application by four of the accused is scheduled for hearing on 15 September.
16 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The education ministry sought an exemption from finance to appoint the Namibia Training Authority to supply food to government school hostels outside open competitive bidding, citing the need to reduce litigation risks and ensure food security after prolonged court cases. The interim arrangement is budgeted at just over N$90 million per month for six months pending resolution of a Supreme Court case.
15 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Bank of Namibia won a Supreme Court appeal upholding its decision to forfeit more than N$40 million in a Nedbank Namibia account belonging to retired Democratic Republic of Congo general François Olenga to the state, reversing a High Court decision from June last year that had set aside the forfeiture.
9 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Zimbabwe's High Court has recognised the liquidation of Namibia's Small and Medium Enterprises Bank and granted liquidators Ian McLaren and Dave Bruni authority to recover the bank's assets in Zimbabwe. The court dismissed objections from Metropolitan Bank of Zimbabwe, a minority shareholder, and ruled that the legal requirements for recognising the Namibian insolvency proceedings had been met.
8 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Minister of Urban and Rural Development resolved a salary dispute at the Kunene Regional Council by securing agreement to relieve Chief Regional Officer George Kamseb of his duties and appoint an acting chief regional officer, allowing the ministry to release funds for employees' outstanding June 2026 salaries. Kamseb's case remains before the Supreme Court, and he would be reinstated and receive all due remuneration should the court rule in his favour.
2 July 2026 · Informanté →
The US Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that children born in the United States to undocumented or temporary visitors have constitutional citizenship rights under the 14th Amendment, rejecting Trump's executive order challenge to the 150-year-old policy.
1 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Kunene Regional Council employees did not receive salaries as government funds remain withheld by the urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa, who suspended disbursement in May citing concerns over the presence of acting chief regional officer George Kamseb. The suspension has also halted several development projects in the region.
26 June 2026 · New Era →
The City of Windhoek says it may seek legislative amendments to the Local Authorities Act after the Supreme Court ruled the municipality lacks legal authority to provide telecommunications services. The city views fibre commercialisation as essential to its smart city ambitions.
25 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Former Justice Minister Sackeus Shanghala and co-accused James Hatuikulipi have filed a Supreme Court petition seeking the removal of Judge Marelize du Plessis from their fisheries and corruption trial, after she dismissed their recusal application in March 2026. A lawyer for another accused has also indicated plans to apply for bail release, citing compromised fair trial rights and inadequate consultation facilities.
24 June 2026 · Informanté →
The Supreme Court has ruled that the City of Windhoek does not have the power to provide telecommunication services to its residents, finding that the Local Authorities Act does not grant local authorities in Namibia such powers. The judgment upheld the High Court's 2023 decision to set aside the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia's award of a comprehensive telecommunications licence to the city.
22 June 2026 · The Namibian →
During Namibia's Universal Periodic Review at the UN in May, peer countries commended progress including decriminalisation of same-sex relations and universal healthcare adoption, but raised serious concerns about high rates of gender-based violence, undermining of judicial independence, and lack of legal protection for LGBTQI+ people.
14 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Jandré Dippenaar's application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court has been dismissed by the Windhoek High Court. Dippenaar was convicted on six counts of murder following a 2014 collision near Henties Bay that killed six people, and received an effective 15-year prison sentence.
8 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Red Soil Energy and Mineral Exploration lost its Supreme Court challenge against the mines and energy minister's refusal of a petroleum exploration licence for offshore blocks in southern Namibia. The company had argued it was treated unfairly and that blocks were reserved for politically connected individuals, but the court upheld the minister's decision based on the company's failure to demonstrate required technical and financial capacity.
8 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Jandré Lodewyk Dippenaar, the first person in Namibia convicted of murder with direct intent from a car accident, has had his application to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court dismissed by the High Court. Dippenaar was sentenced in August 2024 to 15 years' imprisonment after being convicted on six counts of murder and other charges relating to a December 2014 car crash in Henties Bay that killed six people.
6 June 2026 · Informanté →
A High Court judge ruled that a leasehold right granted under the Communal Land Reform Act of 2005 does not end with the death of the right holder and can form part of their estate. The court also determined that a deceased estate and its executor have a stronger claim to the land than someone occupying it without a leasehold right.
4 June 2026 · The Namibian →