Secret 2004 Amnesty Task Team report reveals proposed constitutional amendment for 'backdoor' amnesty
via The Namibian7 min read
A confidential 2004 report from the Amnesty Task Team ATT, established by former president Thabo Mbeki, has surfaced, revealing a proposal to amend the Constitution to facilitate 'backdoor' amnesties. This report, frequently referenced at the Khampepe Commission, is crucial for examining claims of political interference in Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC prosecutions between 2003 and 2017. The ATT, an interdepartmental body formed on February 23, 2004, after the TRC concluded, aimed to address unresolved TRC prosecutions. Chaired by Deon Rudman from the Department of Justice, the team included security and legal officials from various departments. Its main recommendation was to create an advisory body to help former president Thabo Mbeki find a legal 'solution' for apartheid-era perpetrators who had not disclosed their crimes or sought amnesty before the TRC's mandate ended. Other options considered were presidential pardons, parole, and correctional supervision for those already convicted. The report also suggested this new body would assess the 'advisability' of criminal proceedings for past offenses and make recommendations to the National Director of Public Prosecutions NDPP. This proposed overreach into the independence of the NPA has been highlighted by former head of the Priority Crimes Litigation Unit, advocate Anton Ackermann, and corroborated by senior advocate Mthunzi Mhaga. The report detailed the Mbeki administration's effort to balance the 'national inte
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Windhoek is experiencing a significant increase in the cost of living, primarily affecting ordinary residents. The Municipal Council of Windhoek has implemented an average 4% increase on essential services such as water, rates and taxes, sewerage, waste management, refuse removal, and the fire brigade levy. This comes alongside a recent repo rate increase by the Bank of Namibia, which makes loans more expensive, and an inflation rate of approximately 4.4%, reducing purchasing power. For many workers, particularly those earning the minimum wage of around N$4,000 per month, daily expenses in Windhoek, estimated between N$200 and N$450, quickly consume their income, often exceeding it before accounting for rent, education, or medical needs. Namibia also faces a high unemployment rate of 36.9%, with many households relying on a single income or informal work. This combination of rising costs and stagnant wages is weakening household living standards, limiting savings and investment, and potentially slowing economic activity. While public services require funding and inflation needs control, policy decisions must consider the affordability for households. The article suggests that the government and local authorities should focus on targeted support for low-income households, improving public transport, encouraging job creation, and linking tariff increases to visible improvements in service delivery to ensure Windhoek remains a city where residents can live with dignity.
Must ReadStreaming giant Spotify has removed an estimated 75 million tracks from its platform, targeting mass-produced artificial intelligence AI songs designed to manipulate its royalty system. This action is not aimed at musicians using AI creatively, but rather at "AI slop" – low-quality tracks generated quickly and uploaded in large volumes to divert earnings from genuine artists. Around 100,000 new songs are uploaded to Spotify daily, with nearly half of new music on streaming platforms estimated to be AI-generated. Fraudsters upload vast libraries of generic sounds, meditation music, and repetitive instrumentals under invented artist names, then use bots to generate artificial streams. This redirects money intended for legitimate musicians, impacting independent artists, including those in South Africa, where every stream is significant. Spotify clarifies that AI-created music is not banned if creators have commercial rights and the technology is part of a legitimate creative process. The company has enhanced its machine-learning systems to detect suspicious upload patterns and bot-related streaming activity. It has also prohibited unauthorized AI voice cloning and introduced safeguards against scraping its catalog to train AI models without permission. The debate on AI in music continues, with industry organizations advocating for clearer labeling of AI-generated or AI-assisted songs to promote transparency and protect human artists. Spotify's removal of these tracks is a signi
Must ReadThe United States embassy in Namibia will cease providing visa services for Namibian citizens seeking to travel to the US, effective August 1, 2026. This change is part of a broader realignment by the US Department of State to reduce the number of visa consulate locations across the African continent to 20. As a result, Namibians applying for non-immigrant visas, which include those for tourism, business, or study, will need to visit designated regional visa hubs in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. The US Department of State stated that this move aims to enhance national security by promoting more uniform screening, vetting, and adjudication standards. Americans residing in Namibia will continue to receive services from the embassy in Windhoek. The department also noted that this decision aligns with priorities to strengthen national security, reduce government waste, and ensure government operations serve the interests of the American people.