Understanding Namibia

Since independence in 1990, Namibia has witnessed only one generation with no memory of colonialism - the 'born frees', who voted in the 2009 elections. The anti-colonial liberation movement, SWAPO, dominates the political scene, effectively making Namibia a de facto one-party state dominated by the first 'struggle generation'. While those in power declare their support for a free, fair, and just society, the limits to liberation are such that emancipation from foreign rule has only been partially achieved. Despite its natural resources Namibia is among the world's most unequal societies and indicators of wellbeing have not markedly improved for many among the former colonized majority, despite a constitution enshrining human rights, social equality, and individual liberty. This book analyses the transformation of Namibian society since Independence. Melber explores the achievements and failures and contrasts the narrative of a post-colonial patriotic history with the socio-economic and political realities of the nation-building project. He also investigates whether, notwithstanding the relative stability prevailing to date, the negotiation of controlled change during Namibia's decolonization could have achieved more than simply a change of those in control.

This guide aims at providing simplified version of the Labour Act No 11 of 2007 in order to allow the reader to familiarise with the new Labour Act.

Namibia is a country located in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa, Botswana, and Angola. It gained independence from colonial rule in 1990 and is now a democratic country with a population of approximately 2.5 million people. The country is known for its stunning landscapes, including the Namib Desert, the second largest in the world, and Etosha National Park, which is home to various wildlife such as elephants and lions. One of the largest industries in Namibia is mining, particularly for diamonds, uranium, and other minerals. The country also has a growing tourism industry, attracting visitors with its unique culture and natural beauty. Namibia has a diverse population, with numerous ethnic groups such as the Ovambo, Herero, and Himba people, among others. The official language is English, but other languages such as Afrikaans and indigenous languages are also spoken. Overall, Namibia is a country with a rich history and culture, and its natural beauty is a draw for tourists looking for a unique experience.

Namibia is a country located in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa, Botswana, and Angola. It gained independence from colonial rule in 1990 and is now a democratic country with a population of approximately 2.5 million people. The country is known for its stunning landscapes, including the Namib Desert, the second largest in the world, and Etosha National Park, which is home to various wildlife such as elephants and lions. One of the largest industries in Namibia is mining, particularly for diamonds, uranium, and other minerals. The country also has a growing tourism industry, attracting visitors with its unique culture and natural beauty. Namibia has a diverse population, with numerous ethnic groups such as the Ovambo, Herero, and Himba people, among others. The official language is English, but other languages such as Afrikaans and indigenous languages are also spoken. Overall, Namibia is a country with a rich history and culture, and its natural beauty is a draw for tourists looking for a unique experience.

In northwest Namibia, people’s political imagination offers a powerful insight into the post-apartheid state. Based on extensive anthropological fieldwork, this book focuses on the former South African apartheid regime and the present democratic government; it compares the perceptions and practices of state and customary forms of judicial administration, reflects upon the historical trajectory of a chieftaincy dispute in relation to the rooting of state power and examines everyday forms of belonging in the independent Namibian State. By elucidating the State through a focus on the social, historical and cultural processes that help constitute it, this study helps chart new territory for anthropology, and it contributes an ethnographic perspective to a wider set of interdisciplinary debates on the State and state processes.

Why does Namibia’s economy look the way it does today? Was the reliance on raw materials for exports and on the service sector for employment an inevitability? And for what reasons has the manufacturing sector – the vehicle for economic development for many now-high income countries throughout the 19th and 20th centuries – seen its growth held back? With these questions in mind, this book offers an extensive analysis of industrial development and economic change in Namibia since 1900, exploring their causes, trajectory, vicissitudes, context, and politics. Its focus is particularly on the motivations behind the economic decisions of the state, arguing that power relations – both internationally and domestically – have held firm a status quo that has resisted efforts towards profound economic change. This work is the first in-depth economic study covering both the colonial and independence eras of Namibia’s history and provides the first history of the country’s manufacturing sector.

The search for justice, beyond the basic political understanding, is profoundly theological and ethical. In this work, Dr. Basilius M. Kasera analyses the meaning of justice in post-apartheid Namibia from a biblical perspective. He argues that notions of justice carry no meaning unless they emanate from the community of the affected. Every group of people, by virtue of being God’s image-bearers, are able to assess their own context and provide befitting solutions. However this kind of agency has not been afforded to the post-apartheid Namibian society, which continues to operate on borrowed models of justice. While extrapolating on Allan Boesak’s beneficial theological concepts of justice, Dr. Kasera encourages theologians and Christians at large to participate in the creation of meaningful, effective, and transformative policies, programmes, practices, systems, and justice institutions.