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October 2026
The Namibian
Whale Rock Cementapplied tothe Namibian Competition Commission to purchase Schwenk Namibia's shares in Ohorongo Cement
Source
“Whale Rock Cement, which owns the brand Cheetah Cement, had applied to the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC) last year to purchase Schwenk Namibia's shares in Ohorongo Cement.”
“Cheetah Cement, which is owned by a Chinese company called Whale Rock Cement, last week gave notice of its intention to reduce its work force due to financial constraints.”
Whale Rock Cementwas finedN$5 million in 2024 for prohibited merger
Source
“Cheetah Cement is owned by Whale Rock Cement, a Chinese-owned company which was fined N$5 million in 2024 alongside Fan Qingmei, Wang Zhongke and Hong Xiang Holdings Ltd over a merger which did not have the approval of the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC).”
Whale Rock Cementreached a wage agreement withMineworkers Union of Namibia for 10% salary increase
Source
“The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) and Whale Rock Cement (trading as Cheetah Cement) have reached a wage agreement that will see employees getting a salary increase of 6%.”
Whale Rock Cementis not in a position to considerhousing allowance review and performance bonus demands
Source
“According to the statement, both parties agree that the demands by MUN pertaining to a review of the housing allowance and payment of a performance bonus must be deferred, as Whale Rock Cement is not in a position to consider such demands due to current financial constraints.”
Whale Rock Cementis proposed to acquireOhorongo Cement
Source
“The announcement of the proposed sale of Ohorongo Cement to Whale Rock Cement, the operator of Cheetah Cement, has reignited concerns around economic concentration, community impact and corporate accountability.”
The Construction Industries Federation supports a High Court decision that reversed industries minister Modestus Amutse's approval of a merger between Namibia's two cement companies, arguing that cement is too important to the construction and infrastructure sectors to be treated as a purely commercial transaction. The court found that Amutse had not considered objections against the proposed acquisition of Ohorongo Cement by Whale Rock Cement.
The Construction Industries Federation supports a High Court decision that reversed industries minister Modestus Amutse's approval of a merger between Namibia's two cement companies, arguing that cement is too important to the construction and infrastructure sectors to be treated as a purely commercial transaction. The court found that Amutse had not considered objections against the proposed acquisition of Ohorongo Cement by Whale Rock Cement.
The High Court overturned the industries minister's approval of a merger between Whale Rock Cement and Ohorongo Cement after the minister admitted an administrative error meant objections from interested parties never reached him. The Namibian Competition Commission had previously prohibited the merger due to concerns about job losses and a monopoly in the cement market.
Industries minister Modestus Amutse has defended his June 2026 decision to allow Whale Rock Cement to acquire Schwenk Namibia—which owns the majority of Ohorongo Cement—saying he weighed employment protection against the disadvantages of business closure. A South African customer, iTE Products, has sued him in the High Court, claiming to have submitted objections that the minister said he did not receive, with the case scheduled for 1 October.
A South African company, iTe Products, is challenging Minister Amutse's October 1 approval of a merger between Whale Rock Cement and Schwenk Namibia (which owns Ohorongo Cement), arguing that the minister's claim of receiving no objections was false. iTe opposes the deal because it would combine Namibia's two cement companies into a monopoly, a concern the Competition Commission had previously upheld in blocking the merger last July.
The Namibia Competition Commission has objected to the proposed acquisition of Schwenk Namibia by West China Cement (Whale Rock Cement), based on stakeholder input and competition law concerns including market concentration.
Cheetah Cement has notified the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations of its intent to retrench 87 employees by 15 April, citing financial losses, import restrictions, and a blocked merger. The notice is a declaration of intent subject to ongoing consultations with the ministry and the Mineworkers Union of Namibia, and the final number of retrenchments may change.
Cheetah Cement plans to close operations and retrench approximately 87 employees by 15 April, citing sustained financial losses, regional import restrictions, and a blocked merger attempt with Ohorongo Cement. The Namibian Competition Commission refused the merger in July 2025, and the company says it has been loss-making for eight years; the union is negotiating to find alternatives to the retrenchments.