BRENDAN SIMBWAYE P.S. BENEFITS FROM SCHOOL WEAR DONATION NBC Online Sun, 10/25/2026 - 15:38

Dunamis Consulting Engineers and Project Managers has donated school shoes worth N$16 000 to 100 learners at Brendan Simbwaye Primary School in the Zambezi Region, while the Imbuwa family contributed N$14 000 towards school uniforms and sanitary pads. The donations were secured through the lobbying efforts of the school's patron, Otto Imbuwa. Imbuwa emphasised that education is a continuous process requiring collective commitment and support to ensure learners have the resources they need to succeed. "As your patron, my commitment is to support our dedicated teaching staff, our committed learners and our parents and the school board to realise the vision and mission of this school and ensure that every learner who walks through our gates has the resources and the encouragement they need to thrive in their learning. Ensure that every teacher who is recruited at this school is inspired to deliver on their duty." School Board Chairperson Georgina Mwiya welcomed the patron, highlighting the importance of community involvement in supporting learners and strengthening education. "A school needs more than just a classroom and books to thrive; it needs a visionary leader. It needs a leader who I am talking about is here today. To our patron, your unwavering commitment and your busy schedule and your guidance throughout will be the bedrock of Brendan Simbwaye Primary School." School Principal Sandra Namukokoba highlighted the significance of the school's name, which honours Brendan Kangongolo Simbwaye, an anti-apartheid activist and liberation icon who championed community progress and empowerment. "By introducing a school patron today, we are breathing life into that very legacy. We are ensuring that our school does not just educate as the chairperson has indicated but also has to inspire our learners to become leaders of tomorrow who will uplift the Zambezi region as well as the Namibian country at large." Namukokoba added that the donated items will be distributed to identified learners from vulnerable backgrounds.

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The reburial ceremony honouring the sacrifices of the country's liberation struggle icons is being held at Heroes' Acre in Windhoek, Namibia. Among those who will be reburied are the recently repatriated political prisoners Simon Niilenge and Festus Nehale, who died in South Africa. Others are Eliaser Tuhadeleni (Kaxumba kaNdola), Hafeni Immanuel Shifidi, Nduuvu Fillemon Nangolo, and Nathaniel Maxuilili, as well as Tobias Hainyeko and Brendan Simbwaye, who will receive symbolic ceremonial burials.

Staff Reporter THE City of Windhoek has launched a community engagement and education campaign in the Samora Machel Constituency to raise awareness about illegal land grabbing and promote safe settlement practices. The initiative, which began in the Goreangab area, will run over four weekends until 11 April 2026 and will cover areas including Kahumba Kandola, Thlabanelo, Hadino Hishongwa, Peter Nanyemba, and Brenden Simbwaye. --- Photos: City of Windhoek --- The sessions, attended by community leaders and residents, aim to equip neighbourhood committee members with knowledge to address land-related challenges and improve compliance with municipal regulations. Residents were educated on the dangers of illegal land occupation, including the risks of building in riverbeds and under power lines. They were also encouraged to follow proper procedures when extending or renovating their homes by visiting the City’s Human Settlements offices to obtain the necessary approvals. Authorities further warned against blocking access roads in informal settlements, adding that this could delay emergency services such as fire and ambulance response. Residents were also encouraged to establish neighbourhood watch groups and report illegal activities to the City. The post Campaign launched to promote safe settlement practices appeared first on Informanté.

Patience Makwele  The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) has denied auctioning counterfeit goods, saying all such items are destroyed in line with the law. The response follows concerns from traders and the public over goods being sold through auctions conducted by Aucor Auctioneers. Questions grew after an auction notice titled “NamRA warehouse clearance auction” was shared online. The notice stated that goods would be auctioned from 18 to 20 March at the Brendan Simbwaye Complex in Rundu. NamRA said there has been no change in policy. “All counterfeit goods confiscated are disposed of strictly through destruction. These goods are not eligible for auction under any circumstances,” said NamRA’s chief for strategic communications and support engagement, Steven Yarukeekuro Ndorokaze. He said only non-counterfeit goods are auctioned and only after legal processes are followed. According to NamRA, once goods are detained, owners are given notice and three months to comply. This process, he said, includes submitting documents and paying duties. Ndorokaze said goods are only auctioned if the owner fails to comply within that period. NamRA said it has destroyed counterfeit goods worth millions of Namibian dollars in the past, including items valued at around N$5 million. Despite the clarification, some ‘order with me’ operators say the process is not clear. A trader, Selma Haipinge, said her goods were confiscated after being labelled counterfeit. “I ordered hair products and clothes from China last year worth N$7 000. They confiscated my order. When they called, I was told I have to pay more than N$9 000 because of VAT, declaration and storage fees. Now I am seeing almost the same type of products on Auccor being auctioned. How fair is this?” Another trader raised similar concerns. “If those goods are not counterfeit, then why were they taken in the first place? And if they can be sold, why were we not given the option to reclaim them?” the trader said. “At the end of the day, people lose money and businesses suffer. We just want clear answers.” Social justice activist Michael Amushelelo also questioned the process. “I find it absurd that a state-owned enterprise such as NamRA would rather sell confiscated goods through an auction and use NDAs to conceal the details. These agreements appear designed to hide how much Auccor profits from the auctions and the procedures followed to award them as the preferred auctioneer,” he said. He stated that smaller traders might face greater impact than larger corporations. “Over the years, we have seen that there are no safeguards to ensure small traders are protected. Many work on an ‘order-with-me’ basis, where customers pay upfront. When their goods are seized, it damages their reputation and leaves them owing clients they cannot repay. The same flexibility given to big businesses should apply to these traders,” he said. Traders also raised concerns about costs linked to imports. Meanwhile, NamRA’s commissioner, Sam Shivute, told the Windhoek Observer that import charges can reach up to 65.1% of the value of goods. “Sometimes the costs are already too high and then on top of that your goods are taken. That is money we borrowed or saved. When you lose it like that, it affects your whole business,” another trader said. NamRA said proceeds from auctions are paid into the state revenue account and used for national development. The agency did not disclose how much has been raised. When the Windhoek Observer reached out to Aucor Auctioneers, it said it could not provide details on the auctions. “Please note that our contract with NamRA contains non-disclosure agreements and I cannot discuss the matter. For any information regarding these auctions, please contact the NamRA communications department,” the company said.

[Namibian] President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has announced plans to designate symbolic graves at Heroes Acre in Windhoek for two key figures of Namibia's liberation struggle - Tobias Hainyeko and Brendan Simbwaye.

Allexer Namundjembo The government will designate symbolic graves at Heroes Acre in remembrance of liberation icons Tobias Hainyeko and Brendan Simbwaye.  President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced the move during the 35th Heroes’ Day commemoration in Katima Mulilo on Tuesday.  She said it was a tribute to the sacrifices of the two leaders and others from the Zambezi region. Hainyeko was the first commander of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). He was killed in Katima Mulilo on 18 May 1967 in an exchange of gunfire at close range. Simbwaye, the former vice president of Swapo, was also killed during the liberation struggle. Namibia marked Heroes’ Day under the theme “Built on bravery, bound for a prosperous future.”  Katima Mulilo is the birthplace of Simbwaye, Greenwell Matongo, Richard Kabadjani Kapelwa, Fridrick Matongo, and others. It was also the final destination of Hainyeko. “Their sacrifices remind us to uphold the values of unity, peace, inclusivity and progress,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.  She stressed that 26 August remains one of Namibia’s most revered days, marking the start of the armed liberation struggle at Omugulugwombashe in 1966. She said the commemorations honor the bravery of those who confronted colonial forces with limited resources in pursuit of freedom.  “The brave sons and daughters of Namibia rose up and took arms to liberate the motherland, after having pursued all peaceful means to secure peace, freedom and independence for all Namibians,” she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah also paid homage to the first SWALA combatants led by John Ya-Otto Nankudhu, including Simeon Shixungileni, Patrick Iyambo, Victor Mensah, James Angula, and Nelson Kavela.  “This generation ignited the first spark at Omugulugwombashe, followed by many battles, and Zambezi then Caprivi became the main operation area for SWAPO freedom fighters in the early days of our armed struggle,” she said. She noted progress since independence, citing roads, schools, clinics, water points, and electricity, while acknowledging challenges.  She said the government remains focused on youth empowerment, industrialisation, job creation, and fighting corruption.  Nandi-Ndaitwah urged leaders to promote peace, tolerance, and unity, warning that division threatens progress.  “It troubles me deeply that we are too much at each other’s throats in all institutions of our society, be it in families, traditional authorities, religious institutions and politics. We are all one. I urge citizens to resolve our differences with respect, tolerance, and sensitivity by peaceful means and not resort to violence,” she said. National events overshadowed  Meanwhile, political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah questioned Namibia’s obsession with protocol during national events.  He said Heroes’ Day risks losing its meaning when attention shifts to politicians’ arrivals rather than the fallen heroes. “The whole August 26 program is about the arrival of Honorable this and that. Afrika, and Namibia in particular, where did we get this mentality from? Even decolonisation, as an antithesis, to address it cannot fit in this equation because our colonisers, Germany and apartheid South Africa, did not have such an outlandish protocol culture,” he said. He added that the practice has spread to funerals and weddings.  “Nowadays it’s even happening at funerals and weddings. I have witnessed that,” Kamwanyah added.  Former member of parliament Hidipo Hamata also reflected on the day, calling for recognition of Namibian mothers.  “Today, on Heroes’ Day, I honor not only the fallen heroes of our motherland but also the fearless mothers whose sacrifices often go unseen,” he said. Hamata highlighted the struggles of mothers raising children in hardship, enduring violence, and carrying heavy responsibilities without recognition.  “These mothers are heroes in their own right, beloved heroes, who face immense challenges without seeking recognition,” he said, urging Namibians to celebrate such mothers while they are still alive.

Resident of Brenden Simbwaye informal settlement in Windhoek say poor sanitation, broken taps and a lack of power expose them to crime, health risks and neglect. They are in desperate need of toilets, fearing robberies and snake bites when they have to relieve themselves in the open. Abner Kotokeni, a community leader in the Samora Machel constituency, says residents want the area formalised and upgraded for better access to services like electricity, toilets, and taps. He says residents have been calling for toilets to be installed for years, but this has fallen on deaf ears. “What we are proposing is for the municipality to build for us even the traditional toilets we make in the north for the time being. Our people are being robbed and bitten by snakes. “And almost every day you hear a woman screaming and running while being robbed,” he says. Kotokeni says residents are forced to relieve themselves at the area’s dumpsite, which is not safe or healthy. He says the lack of street lights contributes to crime and is urging municipalities to resolve the situation. Kotokeni has expressed frustration over the City of Windhoek’s slow response in fixing broken taps in the area. He says in the past it took days before one tap was fixed, resulting in residents being without water for extended periods. The other tap has been broken for some years now, meaning residents all use only one tap. Kotokeni says he has reported this matter both to the municipality and constituency councillor Nestor Kalola, but is yet to receive a response. The City of Windhoek’s feedback report of public meetings held in September/October 2023 states that a groundbreaking ceremony for a high-mast lights project was held on 28 May last year, marking the start of installation of high-mast lights in various constituencies. The report says a high-mast light is being erected at the Havana satellite site (the dumpsite), which is a few metres away from a school. In terms of formalisation of the area, the report says all informal settlements in the Samora Machel constituency are scheduled for planning through the city’s ongoing massive planning efforts. According to plans, 12 000 erven should be planned and made available at Brendan Simbwaye B and surrounds. Kalola says service delivery is not his responsibility, but rather that of municipality. “It’s a pity that residents seem to continue expecting me to do something about it, while unfortunately I can’t help them. “All I can do is write letters of concern to the City of Windhoek to alert them of the situation,” he says. Kalola says the construction of clinics and hospitals, and drought relief, are his responsibilities as a constituency councillor. He advises community leaders to rather approach the municipality. Kalola says community meetings have been held to explain the process, but he believes more engagement is needed to educate the public. The post Left in the dark with no toilets at Samora Machel appeared first on The Namibian.