Overview of the laws of Namibia since 1990 to 2024

 Since gaining independence in 1990, Namibia has established a comprehensive legal framework characterised by its Constitution, which serves as the supreme law of the country. Here are key highlights of Namibian laws and legal developments since 1990:

The Namibian Constitution

• Adoption and Structure: The Constitution, adopted on March 21, 1990, lays the foundation for Namibia’s legal system. It consists of 21 chapters and 148 articles, covering various aspects of governance, fundamental rights, and state principles  .

• Fundamental Rights: Chapter 3 guarantees fundamental human rights and freedoms, including the right to life, liberty, and human dignity. It also protects against discrimination and ensures freedom of speech, assembly, and association .

• Government Structure: The Constitution establishes Namibia as a sovereign, secular, democratic, and unitary state. It delineates the roles and powers of the President, the Cabinet, the National Assembly, and the National Council  .

• Amendments: The Constitution has been amended to increase the size of Parliament and improve representation, particularly regarding gender equality. For instance, the National Assembly expanded from 78 to 104 seats, and the National Council from 26 to 42 seats .

Legislative Developments

• Statutory Laws: Namibia’s statutory laws encompass various fields, including criminal law, civil law, and administrative law. Key statutes have been enacted to address issues such as land reform, environmental protection, and economic regulation .

• Common Law and Customary Law: Besides statutory law, Namibia also recognizes common law and customary law. Common law is based on Roman-Dutch law, while customary law pertains to the traditions and practices of indigenous communities, provided they do not conflict with constitutional principles .

• International Law: Namibia is committed to international law, incorporating international treaties and conventions into its domestic legal system. This includes human rights treaties and agreements on environmental protection .

Key Legal Reforms

• Gender Equality: Significant strides have been made toward gender equality. The Constitution and subsequent laws promote equal rights for women, addressing issues such as representation in government and protection against gender-based violence  .

• Land Reform: Land reform has been a critical issue since independence, aiming to redress historical inequalities in land ownership. Policies and laws have been implemented to facilitate land redistribution and improve access to land for disadvantaged communities  .

• Environmental Protection: Namibia has enacted laws to safeguard its rich biodiversity and natural resources. Environmental legislation includes measures to manage wildlife conservation, protect ecosystems, and ensure sustainable development .

These laws and reforms reflect Namibia’s commitment to building a just, equitable, and sustainable society. For more detailed information, you can refer to sources like the Legal Assistance Centre and the Namibian Constitution on platforms like Wikipedia and other legal databases  .

Proposing a "sin tax" on cellular companies due to distraction causing vehicle accidents

 The concept of a "sin tax" typically applies to products or activities considered harmful or undesirable, such as tobacco, alcohol, and gambling. Charging cellular companies a sin tax would be unconventional and would require a strong justification.

Arguments For

1. Public Health and Safety: If the use of mobile phones is proven to cause significant health risks (e.g., distractions leading to accidents), this could justify a sin tax.
2. Environmental Concerns: Mobile phones contribute to electronic waste. A sin tax could incentivize companies to adopt more sustainable practices.
3. Market Regulation: A sin tax could potentially curb excessive marketing practices or monopolistic behaviors if deemed harmful to consumers.

Arguments Against

1. Essential Service: Mobile phones are considered essential for communication, business, education, and emergency services. Taxing them could disproportionately affect lower-income individuals.
2. Economic Impact: The telecommunications industry is a significant contributor to the economy. Additional taxes could hinder growth and innovation.
3. Justification and Implementation: Justifying a sin tax on cellular companies would be challenging. Implementation would require clear criteria to define the "sinful" aspects of their operations.

Alternatives

• Environmental Fees: Instead of a sin tax, imposing fees related to environmental impact and e-waste management might be more appropriate.
• Health and Safety Regulations: Implementing stricter regulations to address health and safety concerns without additional taxation.
• Digital Access Fund: A small levy on cellular services could fund programs to improve digital access and literacy without labeling it a sin tax.

Conclusion

While a sin tax on cellular companies is not a standard approach, there might be alternative measures to address concerns related to health, safety, and environmental impact. Such measures should be carefully designed to balance the benefits with potential drawbacks to consumers and the industry.

Some thoughts on Prostitution and why it should be decriminalised

 "The designation of prostitution as a special human rights issue, a violation in itself, emphasises the distinction between prostitution and other forms of female or low-status labour... however exploitative they are. It thus reinforces the marginal, and therefore vulnerable, position of the women and men involved in prostitution. By dismissing the entire sex industry as abusive, it also obscures the particular problems and violations of international norms within the industry which are of concern to sex workers."

Thus anything but legal status for sex workers leads to marginalisation and abuses: "even in the many countries where prostitution itself is not illegal, sex workers cannot secure the minimum basic standards which other workers have acquired as far as conditions of work or their personal safety are concerned. It also means that the police frequently fail to take action to help the significant minority among prostitutes who really are victims of slavery."

Moving away from the theoretical, the practical implications of the profession being legal would bring nothing but benefits for sex workers and society as a whole. The public order aspect could be addressed, as it should be, on an individual rather than a blanket basis; Prostitutes would not be forced to work in 'hidden' locations, and would have access to the safety and decency of equipped indoor places of work; Sex workers would be guaranteed access to health facilities often denied them as a consequence of their occupation.

Bindman & Doezema suggest a definition of sex work as labour:

"Negotiation and performance of sexual services for remuneration with or without intervention by a third party where those services are advertised or generally recognised as available from a specific location where the price of services reflects the pressures of supply and demand.

In this definition, 'negotiation' implies the rejection of specific clients or acts on an individual basis. Indiscriminate acceptance by the worker of all proposed transactions is not presumed -- such acceptance would indicate the presence of coercion"

A further argument for the legalisation of the sex industry is that organisation would no longer be hindered by legal penalties and stigma, serving not only to provide a platform for prostitutes' rights, but also to fight the social stigma attached to sex work.

Law Society of Namibia leaks members details - June 2023

 Namibia does not yet have a legal framework to protect personal details such as full names, date of birth and personal contact details. In fact, many businesses and government departments are not even trained in what is considered personal information. Take for example the website of the Law Society of Namibia (LSN). On its “Find a Firm or Practitioner” page (https://lawsocietynamibia.org/find-a-firm-or-practitioner/), it shows public information in a browser window, namely Name, Surname, Designation and Industry. If, however you investigate the coding of the page, it will also give you the Full Names, Date of Birth, and Personal Cellular Number of all its members.

The ability to save information on a computer and share this electronically necessitates legislation to be promulgated that protects the abuse of this information. These laws are especially necessary in our Information and Communication enabled society where information is stored on electronic retrieval systems. The Namibian Constitution states in Article 13 Privacy: “(1) No persons shall be subject to interference with the privacy of their homes, correspondence or communications save as in accordance with law and as is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the protection of health or morals, for the prevention of disorder or crime or for the protection of the rights or freedoms of others.” The Constitution thus guarantees only “Physical Privacy”. The storage of personal and business information (“Informational Privacy”) must have legislation that will prevent misuse of this information. In addition, the individual in Namibia must be able to access any, and all, information that is stored by the state (public institutions). There are thus things that are needed to guarantee informational privacy: 1. Data Protection Act; 2. Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations; 3. Freedom of Access to Information Act The Namibia Consumer Protection Group (NCPG) once again calls on the broader society in Namibia to become aware of the need for data privacy and protection and encourages open discussion and what can be done. The NCPG will be preparing Public Facing Information Reports for our largest businesses and vulnerable person to encourage them to manage their data better. As for the members of the Law Society, you should expect correspondence from me regarding the data leaked as well as on any other public facing information you need to manage.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭s 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐬 - A Consumer Activist opinion

 I have attached below an explanation of the advantages and disadvantages when banks set their own interchange fees. As you can see, if they do it themselves, it benefits the banks. BUT, all the disadvantages are on the side of the merchants and the consumers.

As a consumer activist, I was pleased when PAN - Payments Association of Namibia took the step that made it easier to compare costs between banks. In the Namibian market, I am afraid that banks will disadvantage the poorer consumer, causing them to pay more.

If however, the PAN costs are made the maximum, we will all benefit from it since banks must compete but not go over a certain amount or percentage. in essence, it is about how regulations are applied to ensure fairness and competitiveness in the market.

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Interchange fees are charges paid by merchants to card issuers each time a debit or credit card is used to make a purchase. When banks set their own interchange fees, it can have a range of implications, leading to both advantages and disadvantages. Here are some key points to consider:

𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔

1. 𝐼𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑅𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐵𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠: By setting their own interchange fees, banks can tailor charges to maximize their revenue. This can be beneficial for their profitability, allowing them to potentially offer more services or better rates in other areas.

2. 𝐹𝑙𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔: Banks can adjust fees based on the market, type of merchant, or the transaction type, which can lead to more tailored financial products and services. This flexibility allows banks to compete more effectively in different sectors or regions.

3. 𝐼𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐼𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: Higher interchange fees can provide banks with the funds to invest in new technologies, enhancing security features, and improving the overall payment infrastructure.

4. 𝐶𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑡𝑠: Banks can set fees that reflect the actual costs and risks associated with different types of transactions or industries, which might not be possible with a one-size-fits-all fee structure.

𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔

1. 𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑀𝑒𝑟𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠: If banks set high interchange fees, merchants may face increased costs, which are often passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. This can affect competitiveness and consumer choice.

2. 𝐿𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: Different banks setting different fees can lead to a lack of standardisation, which might confuse merchants and consumers. It can also make it difficult for new entrants to compete if they are unable to negotiate similar rates.

3. 𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐴𝑛𝑡𝑖-𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠: Larger banks might have the leverage to set higher fees, which could disadvantage smaller banks and limit competition. This can lead to market distortions where larger banks dominate because of their ability to dictate more favourable terms.

4. 𝑅𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑅𝑖𝑠𝑘𝑠: With each bank setting its own fees, the complexity of regulatory compliance increases. This might lead to potential legal challenges or penalties if banks are found to be setting unfairly high fees.

5. 𝐸𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑐 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝐵𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠: Higher fees can disproportionately impact small businesses, which may see a significant portion of their margins eroded by these costs, making it difficult for them to compete with larger businesses that can negotiate better terms.

The balance between these advantages and disadvantages can vary greatly depending on how banks approach the setting of their interchange fees and how regulations are applied to ensure fairness and competitiveness in the market.

𝐃𝐢𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐤𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐤 𝐧𝐚 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐢𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐠𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐥

Ek heg hieronder 'n verduideliking aan oor die voordele en nadele wanneer banke hul eie interbankfooie bepaal. Soos jy kan sien, indien hulle dit self doen, is dit tot voordeel van die banke. MAAR, al die nadele is aan die kant van die handelaars en die verbruikers.

As 'n verbruikersaktivis was ek bly toe PAN - Payments Association of Namibia (Betalingsvereniging van Namibië) die stap geneem het wat dit makliker gemaak het om koste tussen banke te vergelyk. In die Namibiese mark is ek bang dat banke die armer verbruiker sal benadeel, wat hulle meer sal laat betaal.

Indien egter die PAN-koste as die maksimum gestel word, sal ons almal daarby baat vind aangesien banke moet meeding, maar nie oor 'n sekere bedrag of persentasie gaan nie. In wese gaan dit oor hoe regulasies toegepas word om regverdigheid en mededingendheid in die mark te verseker.

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Interbankfooie is fooie wat handelaars aan kaartuitreikers betaal elke keer as 'n debiet- of kredietkaart gebruik word om 'n aankoop te maak. Wanneer banke hul eie interbankfooie bepaal, kan dit 'n reeks implikasies hê wat lei tot beide voordele en nadele. Hier is 'n paar sleutelpunte om te oorweeg:

𝑽𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒆

1. 𝑉𝑒𝑟ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑔𝑑𝑒 𝐼𝑛𝑘𝑜𝑚𝑠𝑡𝑒 𝑣𝑖𝑟 𝐵𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑒: Deur hul eie interbankfooie te bepaal, kan banke heffings aanpas om hul inkomste te maksimeer. Dit kan voordelig wees vir hul winsgewendheid, wat hulle toelaat om potensieel meer dienste of beter tariewe in ander areas aan te bied.

2. 𝐵𝑢𝑖𝑔𝑠𝑎𝑎𝑚ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝑟𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔: Banke kan fooie aanpas gebaseer op die mark, tipe handelaar, of die transaksie tipe, wat kan lei tot meer toegespitste finansiële produkte en dienste. Hierdie buigsaamheid laat banke toe om meer effektief mee te ding in verskillende sektore of streke.

3. 𝐴𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑣𝑖𝑟 𝐼𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑒: Hoër interbankfooie kan banke voorsien van die fondse om te belê in nuwe tegnologieë, die verbetering van sekuriteitskenmerke, en die verbetering van die algehele betalingsinfrastruktuur.

4. 𝐴𝑎𝑛𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑣𝑖𝑟 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑘𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑡𝑒: Banke kan fooie stel wat die werklike koste en risiko's geassosieer met verskillende tipes transaksies of nywerhede weerspieël, wat dalk nie moontlik is met 'n een-grootte-pas-almal fooi struktuur nie.

𝑵𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒆

1. 𝐻𝑜𝑒̈𝑟 𝐾𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑒 𝑣𝑖𝑟 𝐻𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑎𝑟𝑠: As banke hoë interbankfooie stel, kan handelaars hoër koste in die gesig staar, wat dikwels aan verbruikers deurgegee word in die vorm van hoër pryse. Dit kan mededingendheid en verbruikerskeuse beïnvloed.

2. 𝐺𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑘 𝑎𝑎𝑛 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: Verskillende banke wat verskillende fooie stel, kan lei tot 'n gebrek aan standaardisering, wat handelaars en verbruikers kan verwar. Dit kan dit ook moeilik maak vir nuwe toetreders om mee te ding as hulle nie soortgelyke tariewe kan onderhandel nie.

3. 𝑃𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑎𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑖𝑟 𝐴𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒 𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑡𝑦𝑘𝑒: Groter banke kan die hefboom hê om hoër fooie te stel, wat kleiner banke kan benadeel en mededinging kan beperk. Dit kan lei tot markversteurings waar groter banke oorheers as gevolg van hul vermoë om meer gunstige voorwaardes te dikteer.

4. 𝑅𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒 𝑒𝑛 𝑁𝑎𝑘𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑘𝑜'𝑠: Met elke bank wat sy eie fooie stel, verhoog die kompleksiteit van regulerende nakoming. Dit kan lei tot potensiële regsgedinge of boetes as daar gevind word dat banke onregverdig hoë fooie stel.

5. 𝐸𝑘𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑘 𝑜𝑝 𝐾𝑙𝑒𝑖𝑛 𝐵𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑑𝑒: Hoër fooie kan klein besighede onevenredig beïnvloed, wat kan sien dat 'n beduidende deel van hulle marges deur hierdie koste uitgewis word, wat dit moeilik maak vir hulle om mee te ding met groter besighede wat beter terme kan onderhandel.

Die balans tussen hierdie voordele en nadele kan grootliks wissel afhangende van hoe banke die stel van hul interbankfooie benader en hoe regulasies toegepas word om regverdigheid en mededingendheid in die mark te verseker.

Social Security Commission leaks data (2018)

 The Namibian reported in the edition of 11 June 2018 (https://www.namibian.com.na/68242/read/SSC-leak-exposes-personal-info-online), about the data leak noticed last week on the website of the Social Security Commission (SSC). The reporters that took up the story were able to alert the appropriate staff and the data leak was closed on Sunday, 10 June 2018.

As the leak has now been closed, the following is an overview of the occurrence and what should have been done to prevent such events in other organisations.

The Director of the Namibia Consumer Protection Group (NCPG), Milton LOUW, is an IT expert and owner of Aardvark Investments, a company that often undertakes tracing for insurance companies wishing to trace people who are due monies but their contact details are no longer current.

On Thursday 7 June 2018, a routine search for “Box 1141, Oshakati” showed the following results on Google.

Clicking on this link opened up the following page.

Once in this directory, there are 1,885 files in this directory which consists of submission to the SSC. Some of these files include very personal information such as ID number, SSC Registration number, and even salaries of certain companies. . PLEASE note that the information is from around 2013- 2018 and it is personal information that should not be in the public domain.

In addition to files submitted to SSC by companies, there was also adirectory of files containing the signed performance Performane Agrrements of top managers for the period 2016/17.

Are my company files compromised?

PLEASE NOTE: All inquiries regarding the information of employees and employers should now be addressed to the Social Security Commission: Chariold.Auchab@ssc.org.na, Tel: +264 61 2807712.

What happened?

The website was created with the default directory www.(company).na/files/downloads. In this directory were placed all the electronic forms that employers can use to submit their employee details.
Unfortunately, the webmaster also used this directory to download all the files submitted to the SSC. This directory for ovious reasons needs to be available to the public, search engines, etc. and this did not have a prohibitive .htaccess file.

How to prevent this?

The public face of the company / organisation through its online presence should always be kept seperate from information received from its clients via the internet. This means that any and all correspondence from customers should be automatically routed to a directory that is not part of the public domain.

Conclusion

This is the first, and certainly not the last data breach that the media will report on. Namibia has to develop its security and implement the Electronic Transactions, Data Protection, and Access to Information Acts.
NOTE: .htaccess is the default name for a file that is used to indicate who can or cannot access the contents of a specific file directory from the Internet or an intranet.

DEBT REVIEW needed for consumers

One of the biggest problems in starting a family is that most of the things I want, such as furniture, motor vehicle, etc. costs more money than what I earn in a month. The only option for purchasing these high cost items is to either save or to take it on credit. For myself, I have learned the hard way that it is better to save and buy later, rather than purchase on credit and not be able to afford the monthly payments later.

Unfortunately, most consumers still prefer to buy on credit and can find themselves borrowing recklessly and then becoming “over-indebted”. In many countries of the world, a law has been enacted as a National Credit Act that promotes an effective, fair and accessible credit market and to help protect consumers from “reckless lending” and “over-indebtedness”. Unfortunately, Namibia has not yet enacted many such consumer laws yet.

Under such a credit environment, debt counselling is included as a tool to help consumers get out from under debt. These debt counsellors must be trained and certified so that they can assist consumers with debt problems, help to design debt repayment plans and negotiate on behalf of the consumer with creditors to enable the consumer to afford their monthly debt payments. (This process is called Debt Review). The idea behind debt counselling is to help clients reduce their overall debt with creditors in the most cost effective way. At present, with no legal framework in place for debt counselling, the consumer only has two remedies when they cannot pay their debt: administration and sequestration.

There are, however, severe disadvantages to both of these and they disempower you as a consumer. If your debt is lower than N$50 000 you may apply to have your debt placed in administration. Under administration order a large part of your disposable income can forcibly be taken to repay your debts and comes with an administration charge of up to 12,5 percent of each instalment you pay. This would mean that for every N$100 you pay in debt, N$12.50 would go to cover the cost of the administrator. Under sequestration you lose all your assets, as they are sold to cover as much of your debt as possible and you will need permission from a court-appointed trustee if you want to borrow any money. This disempowering of the consumer needs to be addressed and this is the core reason for introducing debt counselling under a Credit Act. The biggest attraction is that under a credit law the process is regulated and designed to prevent creditors from harassing you and prevent the loss of crucial assets.

In addition – unlike with administration orders – as much as 95% of your monthly payment will go to pay your debts under a debt counselling plan. There is a cost to debt counselling – after all the service is being provided by a trained and certified professional. In the regulations of the law, the Credit Regulator will be able to determine tariffs for an application fee, rejection fee (if you are found not to be indebted), the debt counsellor fee, as well as after-care fees. One of the further benefits is that such a law would enforce more rigidly the “in duplum” rule, which under common law limits the interest that a creditor may charge on any debt you incur. This common law rule holds that the creditor may not charge more interest once the unpaid interest equals the outstanding debt.

I hope the Ministry of Finance will look urgently into the matter of over-indebtedness – which I believe affects more than 15 000 households in the country

Unclaimed Monies in the Namibian Financial Sector

 

List No. 4 is being released on 1 September 2023

All  Pension Funds in Namibia must in the month of January each year publish statements of benefits that have remain unclaimed for a period of five years or more in terms of section 93(1) of the Administration of Estates Act, 1965 (Act No. 66 of 1965) in the Government Gazette.

NAMFISA has noted in 2019 that not all funds have been publishing these lists as required and is busy enforcing this. 

Several funds are using the Consumer Registration Database of over 1 million records and have had some success in tracing these members or their beneficiaries. A database has also been created to capture all the data from thepublishezd Gazettes since the early 1970’s. It is expected that by February 2023, this database will be available to the public.

You can search to see if you or your family are beneficiaries of unclaimed monies:

GIPF: https://www.gipf.com.na/member-benefits/unclaimed-benefits/

Sanlam: 

1. https://milton-louw.blogspot.com/2022/11/unclaimed-monies-newsletter-no-1-of.html 
2. https://milton-louw.blogspot.com/2022/11/unclaimed-monies-newsletter-no-2-of.html 
3. https://milton-louw.blogspot.com/2022/11/unclaimed-monies-newsletter-no-3-of.html 

Due to so much interest in the Unclaimed Monies lists, there is now a form for you to register and see if there is unclaimed money for you.

https://forms.gle/J7r6Cbjnv2gwwY1u9

Law Society of Namibia leaks personal data of its members (7 July 2023)

Namibia does not yet have a legal framework to protect personal details such as full names, date of birth and personal contact details. In fact, many businesses and government departments are not even trained in what is considered personal information. Take for example the website of the Law Society of Namibia (LSN). On its “Find a Firm or Practitioner” page (https://lawsocietynamibia.org/find-a-firm-or-practitioner/), it shows public information in a browser window, namely Name, Surname, Designation and Industry. If, however you investigate the coding of the page, it will also give you the Full Names, Date of Birth, and Personal Cellular Number of all its members. 

 The ability to save information on a computer and share this electronically necessitates legislation to be promulgated that protects the abuse of this information. These laws are especially necessary in our Information and Communication enabled society where information is stored on electronic retrieval systems. 

 The Namibian Constitution states in Article 13 Privacy: “(1) No persons shall be subject to interference with the privacy of their homes, correspondence or communications save as in accordance with law and as is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the protection of health or morals, for the prevention of disorder or crime or for the protection of the rights or freedoms of others.” The Constitution thus guarantees only “Physical Privacy”. The storage of personal and business information (“Informational Privacy”) must have legislation that will prevent misuse of this information. In addition, the individual in Namibia must be able to access any, and all, information that is stored by the state (public institutions). 

 There are thus things that are needed to guarantee informational privacy: 

1. Data Protection Act; 

2. Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations; 

3. Freedom of Access to Information Act 

 The Namibia Consumer Protection Group (NCPG) once again calls on the broader society in Namibia to become aware of the need for data privacy and protection and encourages open discussion and what can be done. The NCPG will be preparing Public Facing Information Reports for our largest businesses and vulnerable person to encourage them to manage their data better. 

 As for the members of the Law Society, you should expect correspondence from me regarding the data leaked as well as on any other public facing information you need to manage.

Example of data leak at LSN: 

Mr

RB

Ralph Bazil

Strauss

23/12/1963

29/04/2011

Director

Practice

Dr Weder, Kauta & Hoveka Incorporated

Windhoek

061 - 275 550

061 - 220 553

061 - 238 802

081 146 1414

strauss@wkh-law.com

P O Box 864, Windhoek

WKH House, Jan Jonker Road, Ausspannplatz

Ministry of Finance

B.Comm LLB

Namibian Students Financial Assistance Fund leaks over 10,000 records

 

The Namibian Ministry of Information and Communication Technology is busy inviting comments from the public on the draft Data Protection Bill till the end of November 2022. Some of your rights as a consumer whose data is being collected and processed will allow for you to have information corrected or removed as well as punishments for non compliant entities.

In October 2022, it was found that the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund had placed files on their website to indicate the successful students who have received assistance. One of the files, placed in November 2019, was a 106 page document that included the following information:

• Last Name
• First Name
• Unique ID
• Namibian ID
• Email
• Cellphone Number
• Students Number

All in all, 10,972 students details with all necessary information to steal their identity was placed inadvertently on the Internet.

Over the past week, all the students on the list have been contacted (and added to this newsletter) to inform them of the data leak. It must also be noted that the NSFAF has also blocked any downloads from their site after they were informed of the incident.

Unfortunately, until the law is in place, there is no recourse for anyone whose identity has been stolen in this manner.

Unclaimed Monies in the Namibian Financial Sector

All  Pension Funds in Namibia must in the month of January each year publish statements of benefits that have remain unclaimed for a period of five years or more in terms of section 93(1) of the Administration of Estates Act, 1965 (Act No. 66 of 1965) in the Government Gazette.

NAMFISA has noted in 2019 that not all funds have been publishing these lists as required and is busy enforcing this. 

Several funds are using the Consumer Registration Database of over 1 million records and have had some success in tracing these members or their beneficiaries. A database has also been created to capture all the data from thepublishezd Gazettes since the early 1970’s. It is expected that by February 2023, this database will be available to the public.

You can search to see if you or your family are beneficiaries of unclaimed monies:

GIPF: https://www.gipf.com.na/member-benefits/unclaimed-benefits/

Sanlam: 

1. https://milton-louw.blogspot.com/2022/11/unclaimed-monies-newsletter-no-1-of.html 
2. https://milton-louw.blogspot.com/2022/11/unclaimed-monies-newsletter-no-2-of.html 
3. https://milton-louw.blogspot.com/2022/11/unclaimed-monies-newsletter-no-3-of.html 

Due to so much interest in the Unclaimed Monies lists, there is now a form for you to register and see if there is unclaimed money for you.

https://forms.gle/J7r6Cbjnv2gwwY1u9

Unclaimed Monies Newsletter No. 1 of 2022: Namibia Sanlam

Sanlam is looking for the following people for unclaimed monies. Please contact Milton Louw on 081 6881368.

Family Name Given Name Birthdate
/OXURUB Gerson Dawid K 641128
Afrikaner Hileria Hiltikard 621009
AFRIKANER Jakobus 600101
AMADHILA Jonas 640723
AMPWEYA Elaikim Ampweya 600303
AMWAALWA Frans Shikalepo 680610
Andima Marthin 630803
ARESES Aurolia 530221
ARIBEB Ananias 550101
Awaras Maria 541118
BAISAKO Maria 590817
BARTHOLOMEUS Sakaria 630406
Basson Amanda 490623
Basson Lukas 610821
BEUKES Gert 501024
BOCK Maria Wilhelmina 440522
BOOIS Emma 660220
BOOIS Andries 390217
BOOISEN Hendrik 550602
Booys Saul 540404
BRANDT Marthaline 570313
Brandt Hendrik Ludwig 580921
Campbell Magrieta 440503
CHRISTY Callista Fellicita 420403
CLAASEN Calvin Willem 660703
CLOETE Piet Petrus V 580226
DAVID Salomo 550808
DE KLERK Catherine 641105
DE WALDT Rose-Marie 650821
Dirk Salomon 390217
DLAMINI Joseph George 510706
Drotsky Johanna 640311
Du Preez Yvonne Emmerentia 640820
Ekandjo Bertha 490707
Elia Matheus 600323
EMBULA Benhard 430715
ENKALI Lahja Mwejokutsa 590106
FILLEMON Liina 701218
Gaingos Fredrika 550322
GAMISEB Ludwig 470325
Gariseb David 400709
Garises Mirjam 561211
GAROEB Jeremias 580306
GASEB Hulda Maria 560306
Gasekgatle Ingrid 490425
Gidius Johannes 500614
GOAGOSEB Siebelius 631118
GOAGOSEB Sydney Harold 721212
GOODMAN Imelda Josephine 690914
GOWASEB Eric 651009
GUIOS Sofia 510725
HAIMBONDI Cornelia 510521
Haingura Severinus Titus 510611
HAINGURA Adolf 590126
Halute Florence Nomsa 381111
HAMUNYELA Serafina 430709
HAMUNYERA Abner Mbuna 660507
Hango Joel 460414
Hanse Helena 430902
Hanzen Stefanus 540808
HARADOES Rachael 450220
HOAEB Arnold Edward 641224
Horaseb Esekiel 410915
IMMANUEL Hiholiwe Mathias 630830
Ipundaka Jonas 480305
Itana Thomas 550617
ITANA Otilie Ndanyengwa 710514
Jagger Jeremiah Wilfriedt 330929
JANTJIES Christoff 640915
Jantze Jakob 520709
JARMANN Anna Franzina 450528
JAZAMA Alex Hitjevi 540909
Johannes Simon 440228
JOHANNES Andrias 400703
JOHANNES Jakobina Aihe 481106
JOHR Elizabeth 440530
JONAS Jonas Hitewapo 520212
Josef M K 461121
Kakololo Nathanael Tuhafeni 620419
Kale Maria 460303
KAMANYA Elia Hamutenya 570810
KAMBALA Alina Nghinanayo 410807
Kandara Ismail 380402
Kandombo Tylves Nuuyoma 541116
KANGUATUUAKO Lydia 460526
KANGUE Johannes 410319
KAPERE Aaron 530911
KARUKO Fillemon 570602
KARUNGA Theopoline 500722
KASHIHALWA Michael 600906
Kasta Isack 550505
KASUPI Herry Tjitjira 630115
Katenda Sacharia Utsi 591030
KATUMBO Erastus 580707
Katzao Sara 370627
KAUAZUNDA Laurencia 551222
KAULINGE Ndahangelwe 711022
Kereseb Rudolf 560903
Khiba Patrichius 600620
KHUXAS Aplonia 500924
KIDO Willem Dawid 431103
KISTING Susanna 450907
Kisting Elizabeth 480920
KLISTOF Maria 620322
KLUKOWSKI Christina Gertrud 601229
KOERNER Christina Jacoba 560908
Kolz Hans Heinrich 430809
Kolz Hans Heinrich 430809
KOOPMAN Wilhemina 430411
KUDUMO Sebastian Hausiku 670415
Kuhepa Daniel 630719
Kuwa Namwandi 380112
LIEMBANI Annah Tekla 660501
LIFALAZA Veronika 670606
LINKS Cornelius 631104
Majiedt David Severius 680719
Majiedt Petrus Stefanus 560911
MALIMA Teopolina Hambelela 590603
MASANGU Fabian Lifumbela 550609
MATHYS Herman 390424
Maurihungirire Antonius Waunina 510504
MBINDA Leena P 710201
MICHAEL Joseph Shiimbi 580401
Mintoor Gert Jacobus 360326
MOSIMANE Stanislaus 631225
MOUTON Jacobus 400501
Mouton Marthinus Albertus 680520
MULUNDU Petrus 620121
Mundumbu Lukas Karembera 650312
MUNISWASWA David Kamwi 610412
Munjoka Magreth 660114
MURANGI Metha Florence 600131
MURANGI Selestinus 610808
MUREKO Kaireko 661002
MUREMI John Matuku 650202
MURONGA Pius Nseu 630504
MURORUA Adelheid 491118
MURORUA Adelheid 491118
MUSHEBA Francis Lauliso 570607
MUSIMBA Cecilia Nahambo 601212
MUTOTA Jonas Mwatihanye 670303
MUTOTA Joseph Nghindihuno 590604
Muyamba Victor 560426
Nairengen Kauko Johannes A 470929
NAITA Helga 560720
NAMWENYO Fillemon 670102
NANDEINOTYA Abel Shikongo 590606
Nangaku Absalom 620404
NANGOLO Daniel 420910
Nangombe Michael 670801
NANJEMBA Silvester 650801
NAREBEB Petrus 530505
NARIS Locia Veronica 580112
NASHANDI Ottilie 530711
Nashuuta Gideon E 520814
NAUKUSHU Theresia Ndinelao 530410
NCHINDO Josephine Sibeso 690306
NDADI Reino 611016
Ndemongela Erastus Nangolo 690215
NDERURA Kahimbona 630414
NDEVAHOMA Iyaloo Ndinelao 520810
NDIFIKEPO Alfeus 720703
NDJAVERA Gerson Tjitunga 650709
NDUNGULA Johannes David 580405
NEL Magdalena Hedwig 520802
NESHUKU Samuel 590306
NGARUKA Inektia 630101
NGAVIRUE Maria 520705
NGHATANGA Job P 400606
Nghipandwa Olatius 640812
NGHISHIIKO Lukas Johannes 681210
NGUNAIHE Getrud 810805
Olivier Edgar Ellen 431217
OOSTHUIZEN Johannes 551218
OWOSEB Andries 660703
OXURUB Stephanus 581225
Paulo Fernando 560815
Paulus Otto 520211
PETRUS Simeon Mwoonde 621111
PIENAAR Elsie 401224
PLAAITJIES Johannes 520216
Risto Johannes 690630
ROOI Jiems 630707
ROOINASIE Bernhard Heinrich 610622
RUKERO Matheus 500610
SAKEUS Johanna 600830
Saron Lydia Anna 5.3061
SCHASE Marthinus Johannes 660529
SHAALUKENI Thomas Huumbilemo 450306
SHAANIKA Saara Johanna 600805
SHAFASHIKE Ndahambelela 540807
Shamaha Matroni 531113
Shamwel Aili 621012
Shavuka Pascalis Kantalelo 560202
SHELONGO David 390607
Shifafure Remigtius 620525
SHIKONDA Lusia Shimweefupa 600310
SHIKONGO Paulus Nande 740811
SHILIMENTINDI Machal Angula 530804
SHILONGO Theo 620819
SHILULA Tobias Aikokola 520202
Shilumbu Justina 670618
SHINANGOLO Julius Natangwe 650219
Shipanga Fillemon 681123
Shipefi Joel Mandume 610809
SHIPIKI Hendrina Kaxwiki 460406
SHIVANDU Annanias Penda 610808
SHIVANDU Annanias Penda 610808
SHUUYA Thomas 430224
Sigweda Donatus Kamere 440303
SIKUNAWA Ananias 550804
Simon Daniel 630107
Simson Walde 610102
SINGEVE Honratus Hamutenya 630915
Sitentu Daniel 660106
SIYAMBA Lebbeus Haimbili 470819
Skrywer Josefine 510710
SKRYWER Mathilde 610318
Skrywer Anna Magrietha 610222
SLOA Petrina 710620
SNEWE Willemina 660224
SNYDERS Martha Cecilia 591119
SOMSEB Helga 530906
Steenkamp Johanna Franscka 540915
Stefanus Cervasias 610312
Stephanus Matheus S 730803
Stoffberg James Norman 591229
SWARTBOOI Hendrik 440810
TJIHUNO Gerson Twamanuka 530505
TJIKUSERE Thusnelde 470827
TJIPUTE Michael 490704
Tjituka Eliezer 500524
Toivo Johannes 660728
Tutalife Lister Libonina 620125
UATEKA Abraham 600308
UIRAB Ligeon 610711
Ujaha Eva 570417
URI-KHOB Erich 620928
UUNONA Brasius 611001
Van Rensburg Elfrieda Wilhelmine Augasta 630801
VAN WYK Linda Margaret 610915
VAN WYK Gert Edward 380819
VAN WYK Katrina 430920
VAN WYK Gerhard Cornelius 700910
Van Wyk Andries Jacobus 490328
VANYIKA Hilia 620125
Vries Stephanus 581105
Willipardt Julia 640525
WITBOOI Nicholas Patrick 490711
WITBOOI Hendrik 561021
XOAGUB Eduard Paul 660928

Unclaimed Monies Newsletter No. 2 of 2022: Namibia Sanlam

Sanlam has unclaimed monies. Please contact Milton LOUW on 081 688 1368 for further information.

Family Name Given Name Date of Birth

AFRICA Iza E 900622

AIYAMBO Liina Nakwenye 590824

AL-JAF Ako Ali 510530

AUALA Jeany Elise 730915

BOSHOFF Sarel 680619

BURGER Martinus 830526

DANIELS Ainsley Acton 660829

ENGELBRECHT Johannes 680917

FOURIE Carel Christian 511207

GAWASEB Rudolf R 711222

GROBLER Hermanus 790428

HANSTEIN Edward Romeo 750121

HASHIYANA Thomas Shaangeni 630401

HENGHONO Matias 660602

HERMAN Monica 920901

IZAAKS Karl Manfred 710110

JOSEPH Sonja 650928

KANDJUMBWA Matheus 510624

KATANGOLO Adreas 600622

KAVETUNA Ferdinand Frederich 520424

KIESSLING Maria Magdalena 441229

KRUGER Barend Johannes Willers 710221

LAMPRECHT Martha 790209

LIEBENBERG Hendrina 711026

MAPATE Theresia Kahimbi 600622

NAMUNDJEB Gino 980403

NDAHANGOUDJA Homateni Sackeus 541104

PLATT Rainy Sereny 681130

ROOINASIE Aletta Liticia 810825

SCHREUDER Albertus Johannes 570613

SHATIKA Martin 990827

THIRION Federico 470911

VAN HEERDEN Edenhaezer 650328

VAN NIEKERK Barend 640923

VAN WYK Sylvia 760522

VENTER Johanna Lizelle 590305

WALKER Neil Edward 611006

WALLACE Alida 690116

WATERS Charles Jacobus 671125

WIERS Sigrid Irmtraut 930514