Auleria Wakudumo
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has dismissed claims that it plans to recruit 39 truck drivers from Zimbabwe.
The ministry described the information as false, misleading and without any official basis.
The response follows growing concern among members of the public, who took to social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and other online pages to question and criticise the alleged recruitment of Zimbabwean truck drivers in Namibia.
The claims were largely fuelled by circulating WhatsApp voice notes, sparked anxiety among job seekers and prompted calls for clarification.
Pouring cold water over the assertions, home affairs Executive Director Nghidinua Daniel said the ministry does not, and will not, recruit foreign nationals as truck drivers now nor in the future. He emphasised that the viral audio message is a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and create confusion.
“The allegations are entirely false, unfounded, and have no connection to any official process of the ministry,” Daniel said.
He added that the message encouraging Namibian truck drivers with five years’ experience to apply for the purported positions is also part of the misinformation campaign.
He warned that such content undermines public trust and has the potential to create unnecessary tension within communities, particularly at a time when employment opportunities remain a sensitive issue for many Namibians.
The ministry also noted that work permits for non-Namibians are generally issued only in cases involving scarce, critical, or highly specialised skills that cannot be sourced locally.
“As such, the employment of foreign nationals in non-specialised or low-skilled positions such as truck driving is strongly discouraged and will not be approved where local capacity exists,” the ministry stated.
Daniel further urged the public to exercise caution when engaging with information shared online, noting that the rise of digital platforms and artificial intelligence technologies has made it easier to create and spread false or manipulated content.