A family of five at Otjiwarongo's informal settlement was left homeless after their corrugated iron house was gutted by fire last night.
The family said a 70-year-old grandmother was trying to light her smoking pipe in the house.
Otjiwarongo residents took to the streets in protest against imposed penalties for damaged water meters and irregularities in terms of plot allocation in the area.
Aggrieved residents claimed unfair penalties are being charged, of over one thousand dollars, by the municipality.
The Mayor of Otjiwarongo, Gotlieb Shivute, has stressed the importance of development, asserting that the municipality is undertaking several key projects to effectively deliver essential services to the community.
Industries, Mines and Energy Minister, Natangue Ithete has warned against copper cable theft, which is a big concern in the Otjozondjupa region.
Otjiwarongo Choppies employees handed in a petition demanding the banning of flexi-hour contracts as well as the retrenchment of some employees, which the company wants to undertake.
The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, has urged traditional authorities and councils to steer away from squabbles and disputes over leadership succession.
These Sankwasa warn these only lead to disunity and halt development.
In celebration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Otjiwarongo played host to the week-long second edition of the San Cultural Festival.
The event brought together communities to showcase their customs, art, and way of life.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Gender Equality, Health, and Social Welfare, during its workshop in Otjiwarongo, has heard that men are also victims of gender-based violence, saying there is a need for the government to provide physical, emotional, and social well-being to all Namibians.
Namibian war veteran Lazarus !Guiteb was buried in a sombre military send-off at his hometown of Otjiwarongo.
Aged 83, !Guiteb was accorded an official funeral by President Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah, who described him as a hero of note.
Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani has voiced concern about expensive land and farms in Namibia, saying there is a need to regulate their purchase prices.
