Mbeki confident in Nandi-Ndaitwah

Former South African president Thabo Mbeki has expressed confidence in president-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, saying he believes she will lead the country successfully.

Mbeki said this in an interview with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Saturday.

The former president, who said he has known Nandi-Ndaitwah since his exile years, said he was pleased when Swapo nominated her as its presidential candidate, and even more so when she won the disputed election last November.

He welcomed the court’s decision about two weeks ago that upheld the legitimacy of her victory.

“I was very, very happy that Swapo nominated her to be their presidential candidate. She then won the elections. I am pleased that the courts, when the matter was challenged, decided that she was properly elected,” Mbeki said.

He recalled first meeting Nandi-Ndaitwah when she was a young girl in exile.

“She grew up in front of us. I think I know enough about her to have confidence in her ability to lead Namibia. She will discharge her responsibilities as president properly,” he said.

Mbeki highlighted the significance of Nandi-Ndaitwah’s presidency, noting that she is the first woman to lead a nation in the southern African region.

However, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has had two women presidents. They are former Malawian president Joyce Banda and current Tanzanian head of State Samia Hassan.

“West Africa beat us to this, and I think she is the only woman president on the continent at the moment. Women are as good as any man, and she will demonstrate this in how she leads Namibia,” he said.

Mbeki confirmed that he will attend Nandi-Ndaitwah’s inauguration next week Friday.

He said he had personally assured Nandi-Ndaitwah of his presence during the funeral of Namibia’s founding president, Sam Nujoma, two weeks ago.

“I received the invitation to attend the inauguration, and I am definitely coming,” he said.

Mbeki said Nandi-Ndaitwah’s success will be crucial, not just for Namibia, but for the entire region, and pledged his full support.

“We are all with her to make sure she succeeds in this important task,” he said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah was endorsed as Swapo president at the party’s extraordinary congress this past weekend.

After winning the elections last year, she said her administration would pump about N$86 billion into creating 550 000 jobs across sectors in Namibia, such as agriculture, construction, and oil and gas.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said this during her first press conference as incoming head of state in Windhoek.

Namibia’s unemployment rate stands at 37%, with youth unemployment at 45%, according to the latest figures released by the Namibia Statistics Agency.

The president-elect repeated the promise of 550 000 jobs last week.

“We are saying in the next five years, we are going to put aside N$85.7 billion specifically to create jobs,” she said.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.