Nandi-Ndaitwah’s sons reject IPC claims of oil industry involvement

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s two sons say the claim by Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) leader Panduleni Itula that they are involved in the oil industry is a blatant lie.

Itula yesterday publicly linked Nandi-Ndaitwah’s sons to the oil sector through their private business interests. He alleged that the first family is positioning itself to control the oil industry.

Among those named was Ndeli Ndaitwah, who co-founded Vaneli Foods CC with his wife, Vanessa Kauta, in 2018.

The fresh produce business is listed as a subsidiary of Millennium Investment Holdings on the company’s website.

Millennium, owned by oil magnate Mathews Hamutenya, has widespread interests in Namibia’s energy sector and is seeking to buy 53 petrol stations across the country.

The president’s second son, Nande Ndaitwah, known as ‘Tate Nande’, was also named by Itula. He owns Tradeport Namibia (Pty) Ltd, a company with interests in the mining sector. Itula’s allegations prompted a strong response from both brothers, who submitted a four-page rebuttal to The Namibian yesterday titled ‘Response to Panduleni’s Lies’.

“While our initial intention was definitely not to engage with Panduleni’s falsehoods, the nature of what he was saying ultimately made a response necessary for our own safety, integrity and dignity,” they said.

“It’s clear that these falsehoods originate from a disgruntled individual who has not only failed to win an election once, but has now experienced that defeat twice. The specific reasons why we are asserting that Panduleni is lying and deliberately misleading the public are outlined below”.

MILLENNIUM

Itula claimed that Ndeli creates a corporate link with Hamutenya’s Millenium Investment Holdings. Millennium has a partnership with the Vitol group through a venture called Validus Energy.

Itula said the president’s son’s company is a subsidiary of the conglomerate at the centre of Namibia’s petroleum oil takeover.

“Thereby creating a corporate link at the centre of the petroleum network,” he said. Itula did not provide documentary proof to his claims.

The two brothers said Vaneli Foods, a farming business, was started in 2018, by Ndeli and his wife.

“The pair needed capital injection to fund its business operations and approached Hamutenya, who has been Ndeli’s friend since primary school, who agreed to invest. If those who talk knew anything about farming, they would know how expensive it is,” the brothers said.

They said at its peak operation, the company employed approximately 20 individuals. However, the company ceased operations in 2025 following significant losses in crop production due to the unfavourable heat and rainfall conditions prevalent in the area.

“Our operations are at a standstill but we are planning on setting up an orchid and planting cherry tomatoes. We have no interest in oil, nor will we ever have such interest. Vaneli is a farming business that has created more jobs than some of those who just talk. We have no interest or equity millenium, or Nasan energies,” the brothers said.

Ndeli, a lawyer by profession, is understood to be living at State House and is widely regarded within political circles as closest to the president.

Nandi-Ndaitwah has previously denied that her family had any involvement in the oil industry.

Itula said Tradeport, where Nande is a chief executive and co-founder, lists “bonded diesel” as a core commodity and “fuel imports and wholesale distribution” as a principal business line on its website. The company is in business with the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport).

“Diesel is a petroleum product under the Petroleum Products and Energy Act. Fuel import and wholesale distribution falls within the oil and gas sector by standard industry definition. This directly contradicts the president’s categorical denial,” Itula said.

The president’s sons said Tradeport buys its diesel from Vivo Energy and the product is delivered to their depot for the company’s operational consumption.

“This fuel is used exclusively to refuel our own fleet of trucks that transport cargo on behalf of our clients. The purpose of this arrangement is to manage the significant cash flow requirements of logistics. By fuelling the trucks ourselves, we relieve our transport partners from having to carry the substantial cost of diesel. This operation has been in place and fully operational since 2019,” the sons said.

The statement said, like any other operator, Tradeport approached Namport with a business proposal.

Namport then followed its own procedures to allocate the land for their business, the sons said.

The brothers added that Itula’s claim that Tradeport is involved in “fuel distribution” at the Port of Lüderitz “is another lie”. “We do not distribute diesel within the port.”

They said there is nothing sinister about their company carrying out “port handling, rail coordination, storage, and wholesale logistics.

“These activities are the fundamental services that any port operator provides. Tradeport is operating at Lüderitz exactly as any other legitimate operator would,” the brothers said.

“The allegations being made against us are very serious and put our safety at risk. Because of what irresponsible people are saying, and making people believe that we have things that we do not even have, it makes us a target to the public,” the sons said.

“If the government were to allocate security to us based on these unfounded allegations, they would be the first people to complain, yet are the cause,” they said.

“While we endure abuse by these people over and over again, eventually the day will come when one has to take action. Unfortunately for them we will not give them that benefit at this moment.”

The brothers said their integrity was instilled in them by their parents.

“No matter how much they might try, they will never find what they are searching for because it simply doesn’t exist,” they said, adding that their explanatory statement has been made reluctantly.

“This is in view of the fact that the allegations, often repeated, are baseless. We have nevertheless decided to give context and respond to this sustained campaign of harassment through a series of defamatory statements.”

The president’s sons added that the idea that relatives of political leaders are left vulnerable to attacks on their “integrity and dignity is palpably wrong”.

“We too are entitled to be protected from unlawful intrusion and attack, as is the case with other citizens. We, therefore, strongly reject the malicious campaign of vilification being pursued against us, probably only for ulterior political purposes. Our rights in this respect will remain reserved”.

ITULA REMARKS

Nandi-Ndaitwah argued that her children have full and equal rights to participate in the country’s economy.

“They do so to contribute to the national development, the well-being of our people and their own lawful livelihoods,” she said, adding that “we will not be faulted for exercising this right as long as it is done within the confines of the law.”

Itula claimed her statement is misleading.

“Either the president did not know what her son’s company does, or she knew and chose to mislead the nation. Neither answer is acceptable for a head of state,” Itula said.

IPC has opposed the petroleum amendment bill in its entirety, citing that no president with such conflicts of interest should hold licensing authority over the oil sector.

“Namibia is all we have, and since 2019 as we have been saying, Namibia is not for sale, not even to a family. We as citizens of this republic represent in the National Assembly the duty to save our country before it is too late. We must share equally in the wealth of the country. Not a group of well connected poisoned citizens,” Itula said.

PRESIDENT RESPONDS

The Presidency yesterday dismissed Itula’s claims of business interests connected to Namibia’s petroleum sector.

“These activities are legally distinct from downstream petroleum operations such as fuel importation, transportation, storage and retail trade, which remain regulated under the Ministry of Industries Mines and Energy,” the president’s office said.

The president called on Itula to provide evidence for his claims, “supported by a clear documentary paper trail demonstrating ownership or beneficial interest in upstream petroleum licences.”

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