City takes back land from fired manager

THE City of Windhoek has cancelled the sale of two plots to its former chief of property, Lazarus Shaduka, and decided to discipline other employees who played a part in the alleged scam or bought land in similar ways.

The Council decided at its monthly meeting last week that erven 1124 and 1223 in Rocky Crest be sold on public auction and that Shaduka be refunded the money he had paid for them. Shaduka quit his position in August this year after it became public knowledge that he had allegedly acquired plots in various parts of the city, using the names of relatives and failing to disclose that he was the real owner.He resigned a month after he was suspended, but the City of Windhoek refused to accept his resignation and dismissed him instead.It was alleged that Shaduka cancelled the sale of the erven and, without informing the public about their availability for a fair bid, opted to buy them himself.He bought them despite a Council’s policy that a person could only purchase one plot in Rocky Crest.Shaduka proposed buying four erven but ended up buying three, of which the Council decided to take back two.He is alleged to have used his influence as chief of housing to get two other employees, Cornelius Tobias Swanepoel and Richard Gerrit Steen, to sign the sale of erven on behalf of the Council to himself.They did so in acting capacities as chief of housing and properties and control officer: residential land.Investigations by the City’s legal team found that neither of them had the authority to sign the documents.Both Swanepoel and Steen now face disciplinary action.At the time of his suspension, Shaduka claimed that he was aware of fellow municipal officials who had acquired land in the same manner he had.The Namibian has it on good authority that Shaduka, through his lawyers Metcalfe Legal Practitioners, threatened to spill the beans on other personnel who purchased a number of properties in the same way.Shaduka claims he made no misrepresentation as to who was buying the property, and that he paid all fees and deposits.”Your records will show that a number of persons have purchased more than two erven in the aforesaid area (Rocky Crest).These include personnel employed by the City of Windhoek.Such erven were purchased in the same manner as Mr Shaduka has done and selective justice is now being applied,” his lawyers alleged in a letter to the Council.On Wednesday, the Council decided to probe other plot owners to determine whether any employee had more than one erf in Rocky Crest and to take disciplinary action.Shaduka denied that he abused his position as chief of housing, as alleged by the City of Windhoek, and also revealed that he made a declaration of interest in April this year.”A reasonable employee in his position could certainly not have been required to do more,” the lawyers argued, adding that the investigation was “shoddy”.Because of “a witch-hunt”, Shaduka’s lawyers said, their client was no longer willing to work for the City of Windhoek.Shaduka quit his position in August this year after it became public knowledge that he had allegedly acquired plots in various parts of the city, using the names of relatives and failing to disclose that he was the real owner. He resigned a month after he was suspended, but the City of Windhoek refused to accept his resignation and dismissed him instead.It was alleged that Shaduka cancelled the sale of the erven and, without informing the public about their availability for a fair bid, opted to buy them himself.He bought them despite a Council’s policy that a person could only purchase one plot in Rocky Crest. Shaduka proposed buying four erven but ended up buying three, of which the Council decided to take back two.He is alleged to have used his influence as chief of housing to get two other employees, Cornelius Tobias Swanepoel and Richard Gerrit Steen, to sign the sale of erven on behalf of the Council to himself.They did so in acting capacities as chief of housing and properties and control officer: residential land.Investigations by the City’s legal team found that neither of them had the authority to sign the documents.Both Swanepoel and Steen now face disciplinary action.At the time of his suspension, Shaduka claimed that he was aware of fellow municipal officials who had acquired land in the same manner he had.The Namibian has it on good authority that Shaduka, through his lawyers Metcalfe Legal Practitioners, threatened to spill the beans on other personnel who purchased a number of properties in the same way.Shaduka claims he made no misrepresentation as to who was buying the property, and that he paid all fees and deposits.”Your records will show that a number of persons have purchased more than two erven in the aforesaid area (Rocky Crest).These include personnel employed by the City of Windhoek.Such erven were purchased in the same manner as Mr Shaduka has done and selective justice is now being applied,” his lawyers alleged in a letter to the Council.On Wednesday, the Council decided to probe other plot owners to determine whether any employee had more than one erf in Rocky Crest and to take disciplinary action.Shaduka denied that he abused his position as chief of housing, as alleged by the City of Windhoek, and also revealed that he made a declaration of interest in April this year.”A reasonable employee in his position could certainly not have been required to do more,” the lawyers argued, adding that the investigation was “shoddy”.Because of “a witch-hunt”, Shaduka’s lawyers said, their client was no longer willing to work for the City of Windhoek.