WINDHOEK- The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology is mourning Senior Journalist and Associate Editor of New Era Publications Corporation (NEPC), Desiewaar Heita, who suddenly passed away last week at his house due to an alleged freak accident. 

Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary, Mbeuta Ua-Ndjarakana on Friday expressed his deepest grief of the death of Heita, labeling his death a costing loss for Namibia’s journalism.

The official opposition PDM Leader, McHenry Venaani yesterday said the PDM will always remember Heita for his ever inquisitive and ethical reportage that he embodied all the time.

 “ “Voltaire” Desie ua Heita, you shook the very core of our existence with your passing and our nation is poorer without you,” said Venaani.

Venaani said Heita took the views of the PDM and country in their true sense, and always chose to listen to different views to further add to his knowledge and understanding.

“It is our hope that more journalists in the country will emulate Heita’s fair and balanced reporting to further educate and enlighten the nation of the good and bad without fear or favour,” he added.

“We will miss his several phone calls to our honourable members and offices, inquiring about the various goings on at the PDM as well as other related issues in the country,” said Venaani.

Ua-Ndjarakana said Desiewaar, affectionately known as “Desie” among his peers, was one of the best journalists in the country who would go out of his way to assist when called upon.

“Desie was a very humble and soft spoken young man who was very passionate about work, and has immensely contributed to the development of New Era newspaper and the media sector as a whole,” he said in a statement.

“We have lost and experienced journalist who had a lot to contribute to the media sector in the country,” he added.
He also expressed his heartfelt condolences to Heita’s family and the press community.

Desie, known of late as “Jack Ku” in the New Era newsroom will be buried at Ondangwa, Oshana Region on Saturday. A memorial service will be held in Windhoek at NIPAM on Tuesday at 14h30.
President Hage Geingob in a media statement on Thursday praised the late Heita’s excellent contributions to the growth of Namibia’s media landscape.

“Without Heita, the media landscape has lost a diligent and committed journalist,” said Geingob.
The late Heita started as a business reporter at the Namibia Economist. He then moved to serve as senior reporter at New Era where he was then promoted to editor of the Oshiwambo weekly supplement Kundana newspaper while at the same time also managed the New Era business desk.