The Municipality yesterday announced in a press release that Katiti, Haingura and four unnamed junior officials were suspended on Monday after an extraordinary Council meeting and a special Management Committee meeting.

Their suspension will allow an unhindered probe into allegations that they contravened Council's credit-control policy to the advantage of themselves or family members.

An external auditing firm will be appointed to delve into the credit-control situation.

Municipal spokesperson Utaara Hoveka said Council would inform the Ministry of Regional, Local Government and Rural Development in writing, as required by the Local Authority Act.

Recently members of the public expressed dismay in the local media, asking why the electricity services of residents are cut off summarily while some municipal officials' outstanding accounts accumulate month after month.

It is claimed that the wife of one top official at one stage amassed an electricity bill of N$35 000 for her fast-food establishment.

According to documents in the possession of a source in the municipality, N$7 000 is owed by the wife of a senior credit clerk.

A clerk in the client service department has allegedly not made a payment in some seven months while yet another official made late payments in two consecutive months on accounts of more than N$1 000 a month.

Katiti issued a memorandum to all municipal workers in March last year, ordering employees to pay their municipal accounts in full and on time.

When approached by The Namibian, Katiti did not want to make any statement except to confirm his suspension.

He said the Council had a complete list of all the culprits and that neither he nor any of his relatives were involved or in arrears with their municipal accounts.

Pending the investigation, the General Manager of Water, Waste and Environmental Management, André Brummer, has been appointed acting CEO.

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