2012 after Acting Judge Petrus Unengu dismissed an application by The Namibian for the defamation claim against them to be dismissed. Gwen Lister, former Editor of the newspaper said in their defense, “During pre-independence, we spoke out for the oppressed. Post-independence, it continued its strong, independent stance to be a watchdog; to be the conscience of the people.” She further argued that though at the time the article was published Augustinus Katiti has retired what he does as a prominent figure was and is still in public interest. &RPPXQLTXp Date: January 31, 2012 Person/ institution: John Grobler Violation/ issue: Legislation The matter in which freelance journalist Jonathan Grobler is suing the Minister of Justice and Secretary-General of Swapo Party, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, and the Swapo Party over allegations that Grobler was a “Koevoet” member resumed in the Windhoek High Court on the 30th January 2012 yesterday. Grobler is suing the secretary-general and the ruling party for libel in an article that was allegedly published on the party’s website alleging that the freelance journalist was a member of Koevoet, “whose hands are soaked in the blood of the Namibian people”, reported New Era. $OHUW Date: February 3, 2012 Person/ institution: Tileni Mongudhi, Insight magazine Violation/ issue: Other? Barely four months after launching a scathing verbal attack on Namibian Sun’s Editor Jan Poolman, it is reported that Youth Minister Kazenambo Kazenambo, allegedly attacked another journalist. According to published reports, this time around the Cabinet Member verbally abused Insight and freelance journalist Tileni Mongudhi, calling him a “stupid, unqualified, inexperienced Owambo journalist” during a heated interview last month. &RPPXQLTXp Date: April 19, 2012 Person/ institution: Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Violation/ issue: Other MISA Namibia has called upon members of the public, including political office bearers, to embrace and promote a free and independent media but also to support the transformation of the state-controlled broadcaster, Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) into a Public Service Broadcaster (PSB). A public service broadcaster, as commonly understood, is fully independent in all editorial and operational matters and free from any possible interference from external interests, especially political. &RPPXQLTXp Date: 29 June 2012 Person/ institution: Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia Violation/ issue: Other The Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has recently issued a statement announcing that they will be opening the airwaves soon. This development comes shortly after local media reported that a new radio station 6R7KLVLV'HPRFUDF\"