A new newspaper, The Current, launched at Walvis Bay yesterday, aiming to give Erongo communities a dedicated platform for their stories.
The newspaper will be available at retail shops from today and will be published every Thursday.
The Current editor Ester Mbathera yesterday said Erongo’s communities deserve a permanent platform for stories from the coast and towns in the interior.
“Erongo is the place where people don’t stop and wait for somebody else to fix or start something for them. They do it themselves, and that conversation needs a permanent home,” she said.
Mbathera said stories from the region often travel through unreliable channels when there is no dedicated publication covering them.
“It will be that platform that provides a valuable companion for the region, giving the coast and its interior towns their own coverage of schools, local authorities, councils, businesses, industries and everyday life, while holding local power to account,” she said.
NMT Group chief executive Wolfram Jauss at the launch said the newspaper was not launched for financial gain, but to establish a stronger presence in the Erongo region.
“There is no financial meaning behind starting the paper. It is about a serving element where we have decided we can’t do it at a national level. We can’t do it from a Windhoek-based mindset, but we are going to come into the Erongo region,” Jauss said.
He said the company has opened an office in the region as part of what he described as a long-term commitment.
“We have opened our office here and have a presence here, and this is a long-term commitment. The Current wants to contribute and help to build such a trusted environment at our Namibian coast and also for our businesses, schools and institutions to succeed,” he said.
The newspaper will cover communities across Erongo, including local authorities, businesses, schools, industries and other institutions.
