The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has strongly rejected allegations made by Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) parliamentarian John-Louw Mouton, who claimed the broadcaster failed to pay N$353 million in taxes to the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) and later sought a government bailout to cover the shortfall.
NBC Director General Stanley Similo described Mouton’s claims as “blatantly false, grossly irresponsible, and a deliberate distortion of facts,” accusing him of abusing his parliamentary platform for political gain.
Similo clarified that as of September 2025, NBC’s Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) balance stood at N$3 million—statutory deductions for that month—due to NamRA by 20 October 2025, well within legal timelines. “NBC is fully compliant and in good standing with NamRA, with no outstanding interest or penalties for late or non-payment,” he said.
He further explained that since 2021, the broadcaster has adhered to all NamRA requirements, settling N$122 million in tax arrears under the Tax Relief Programme from its own revenue. An additional N$76 million in penalties and interest were waived lawfully, while a legacy PAYE debt of N$33 million—dating back before NamRA’s creation—was written off under the 2024/25 Appropriation Bill.
“The Appropriation Bill, tabled by Minister of Finance Ipumbu Shiimi, allocated N$1.4 billion to clear long-standing tax debts across several state entities, including UNAM, TransNamib, and NBC. This was a corrective fiscal measure, not a bailout or act of corruption,” Similo emphasized.
He also pointed out that NBC’s financial statements undergo annual external audits by the Office of the Auditor-General, which are submitted to Parliament. “To date, no malfeasance has ever been found against the Corporation,” he said.
Addressing concerns about staff incentive payments, Similo said these were lawful and formed part of NBC’s Total Cost to Company remuneration structure, applicable to all employees. He concluded that Mouton was “rehashing outdated claims already dismissed through parliamentary inquiry.”
