Chief demands answers on ‘missing’ movie thousands

A GROUP of people alleged to have misappropriated community funds at Spitzkoppe will face criminal charges if they fail to present a financial report within the next two weeks.

Damara Chief Immanuel #Nu-Axa /Gaseb of the !Oe-#Gan community told The Namibian this week that repeated efforts to get the report on how almost half a million Namibia dollars donated by the ’10 000 BC’ film project was spent have failed so far. “We had at least two meetings and all they could come up with was bank statements.That is unacceptable.I cannot take that to the Government or other stakeholders to claim it is a report,” /Gaseb said in an interview.He requested a financial report after it emerged that the development committee at Spitzkoppe had received N$486 000 from the filmmakers and transferred it into the account of the Spitzkoppe Community Rest Camp.From there money was apparently spent left, right and centre without the community being informed of the donation.”There is no clear evidence of how the money was used and it seems that only a small clique knew about it.I have the responsibility to serve the interests of my people in that area and will ensure that we get to the root of this,” /Gaseb said.He did not rule out the possibility of handing the case over to the Police or the Anti-Corruption Commission if he gets no response in the next two weeks.”I will definitely take drastic steps.These people are abusing their powers given by the communities.I cannot be quiet when we demand transparency from Government and others.I won’t tolerate such things,” he emphasised./Gaseb had a meeting in December last year with the leaders of the rest camp and development committee in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Tourism and the Erongo Regional Council, where it was revealed that N$486 000 had been donated to the community over six months.When it came into the open, the rest camp and development committee leaders said they had transferred the money into the Rest Camp’s account and used it for maintenance.”What I don’t understand is that the rest camp was able to sustain itself for over 10 years and suddenly needed so much money to be maintained.Also, there is no clear evidence on how the money was used.You cannot see any structure that was built,” /Gaseb said.He said the two groups promised at that meeting that they would compile a report and submit it to /Gaseb.It did not materialise despite them meeting with him twice already.”Bank statements are not a report.I have made it very clear to them.They need to provide receipts for things bought,” the chief said.Both local headman Benjamin Mudago !Naruseb and camp manager Ryan Gariseb have denied that money had been misappropriated and promised The Namibian a copy of their financial report.That was two weeks ago.Recently a group of unhappy residents from the area approached the founder of the rest camp John Ramatkhutla, to help them sort out problems there.They claimed mismanagement of funds, staff retrenchments and favouritism.Ramakhutla called a meeting at the village but it was derailed by drunken young men who claimed he had no right to conduct meetings there, as he was no longer a member of the community.Chief /Gaseb said part of the N$486 000 could have been used to drill boreholes for the community.”Just the other day I had successful talks with Uramin mine to drill boreholes for the community when they could have done it themselves with that money.That is unacceptable,” he said.Uramin is a company exploring for uranium in the Erongo Region.”We had at least two meetings and all they could come up with was bank statements.That is unacceptable.I cannot take that to the Government or other stakeholders to claim it is a report,” /Gaseb said in an interview.He requested a financial report after it emerged that the development committee at Spitzkoppe had received N$486 000 from the filmmakers and transferred it into the account of the Spitzkoppe Community Rest Camp.From there money was apparently spent left, right and centre without the community being informed of the donation.”There is no clear evidence of how the money was used and it seems that only a small clique knew about it.I have the responsibility to serve the interests of my people in that area and will ensure that we get to the root of this,” /Gaseb said.He did not rule out the possibility of handing the case over to the Police or the Anti-Corruption Commission if he gets no response in the next two weeks.”I will definitely take drastic steps.These people are abusing their powers given by the communities.I cannot be quiet when we demand transparency from Government and others.I won’t tolerate such things,” he emphasised. /Gaseb had a meeting in December last year with the leaders of the rest camp and development committee in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Tourism and the Erongo Regional Council, where it was revealed that N$486 000 had been donated to the community over six months.When it came into the open, the rest camp and development committee leaders said they had transferred the money into the Rest Camp’s account and used it for maintenance.”What I don’t understand is that the rest camp was able to sustain itself for over 10 years and suddenly needed so much money to be maintained.Also, there is no clear evidence on how the money was used.You cannot see any structure that was built,” /Gaseb said.He said the two groups promised at that meeting that they would compile a report and submit it to /Gaseb.It did not materialise despite them meeting with him twice already.”Bank statements are not a report.I have made it very clear to them.They need to provide receipts for things bought,” the chief said.Both local headman Benjamin Mudago !Naruseb and camp manager Ryan Gariseb have denied that money had been misappropriated and promised The Namibian a copy of their financial report.That was two weeks ago.Recently a group of unhappy residents from the area approached the founder of the rest camp John Ramatkhutla, to help them sort out problems there.They claimed mismanagement of funds, staff retrenchments and favouritism.Ramakhutla called a meeting at the village but it was derailed by drunken young men who claimed he had no right to conduct meetings there, as he was no longer a member of the community.Chief /Gaseb said part of the N$486 000 could have been used to drill boreholes for the community.”Just the other day I had successful talks with Uramin mine to drill boreholes for the community when they could have done it themselves with that money.That is unacceptable,” he said.Uramin is a company exploring for uranium in the Erongo Region.