馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Cheetah Cement halts layoffs after Namibia's industries minister approves merger with Ohorongo Cement
via The Namibian4 min read
Cheetah Cement has stopped planned retrenchments of 87 workers following the Ministry of Industries' reversal of a decision to block its takeover of Ohorongo Cement. Industries, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse overturned the Namibian Competition Commission's initial rejection after an appeal by Chinese-owned Whale Rock, which owns Cheetah Cement. The merger aims to address financial losses caused by export restrictions and the small Namibian cement market, allowing one factory to operate at full capacity. While the Competition Commission had initially cited concerns about a potential monopoly and job losses, Minister Amutse approved the merger with conditions. These conditions include no job losses, monitoring for a monopoly, exploring options for the continued existence of the Cheetah Cement plant, and increasing local ownership for both Whale Rock Cement and Schwenk Namibia to at least 40%. The Mineworkers Union of Namibia welcomed the decision to halt retrenchments and stated it would monitor developments to ensure workers' interests are protected.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Must ReadPresident Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is scheduled to depart for China on Saturday for a week-long state visit from July 6 to 10, at the invitation of Chinese president Xi Jinping. The visit aims to strengthen Namibia's bilateral ties with the People's Republic of China. The Presidency stated that the visit will focus on enhancing cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, industrialisation and beneficiation, renewable energy and green hydrogen, agriculture and agro-processing, education, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges, health, housing, and infrastructure. During her visit, President Nandi-Ndaitwah will engage in bilateral discussions and industry visits in Guangzhou, travel to Shenzhen to visit the CGN Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, Huawei, and municipal authorities, and participate in agriculture cooperation and agro-processing engagements in Chengdu. The visit will conclude in Beijing with high-level bilateral meetings with President Xi and other senior Chinese leaders.
Holders Argentina narrowly defeated Cape Verde 3-2 in an extra-time thriller at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, securing their spot in the World Cup last 16. Cape Verde, with a population of just over 500,000, twice equalized against Lionel Messi's Argentina, pushing the match into extra time. A Diney Borges own goal in the 111th minute ultimately broke Cape Verde's resistance. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni acknowledged the difficulty, stating that losing would have been "madness" and praised Cape Verde as a "great team." Argentina will now face Egypt in Atlanta. Earlier, Egypt made history by winning their first World Cup knockout match, defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Arlington, Texas. Hossam Abdelmaguid converted the decisive spot-kick. Egypt's win marks a positive turn for African teams in the knockout phase, following the exits of South Africa, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Algeria. In other matches, Colombia beat Ghana 1-0 and will play Switzerland, while the England versus Mexico City match is set to proceed as planned despite earlier concerns about kickoff time changes due to forecast storms.
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa stated that political affiliation will not influence the recognition of traditional leaders in Namibia. Speaking at Opuwo, Sankwasa emphasized that chieftaincy applications must adhere to customary law and hereditary succession requirements. He warned against expecting recognition based on political party membership, asserting that chieftaincy is not determined by politics. Applicants must demonstrate a clear line of hereditary succession linked to recognized royal families and justify their lineage by succeeding an established chief within the community. Sankwasa clarified that chiefs are not elected but inherit their positions according to community customs and traditions. He referenced Section 12 of the Traditional Authorities Act, noting that the ministry establishes the customary law of a community, including whether inheritance follows maternal or paternal lines, when handling succession disputes. He added that individuals chosen through general elections are considered headmen, as chieftaincy is by blood. The responsibility to nominate a successor rests with the royal family, and integrity and good character are essential for traditional leadership. If the rightful heir is underage, a caretaker is appointed until they reach an appropriate age.