Controversial businessman denies political ties influence his appointment

Controversial businessman Joseph Andreas says his recent appointments have nothing to do with his political ties.

Andreas, the owner of Tulaing Group, was recently appointed by president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as a commissioner on the National Planning Commission, along with others, “to advise the commission in the discharge of its functions” and to “to plan the priorities and direction of national development”.

Andreas, who earlier this year admitted to being influential in Nandi-Ndaitwah’s successful presidential campaign, has said his political connections have played no part.

“Political or not-political, the question you should ask is whether I am good enough to be able to do the job. Apart from politics, that you just got to know me through right now, I have been running a group of companies for the last 15 years. That group has been doing so without even benefiting from the state,” Andreas told The Namibian.
Andreas was said to be at the heart of a political rift between Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaingwa and the party’s president, Nandi-Ndaitwah, over the latter’s decision to exclude him from her ministerial appointments.

“Yes, there is politics on the side, but in your opinion as a journalist, do you think I qualify to be in that position?”

He argues that his business has been successful in creating employment which qualifies him in his recent presidential appointments.

His company, Tulaing Group, owns nine subsidiaries with interests in farming, fuel retail, logistics, property investments and property development.

“Anyone who is able to create employment should actually qualify to be able to assist in driving the national agenda. Because such a person actually has proven they can do it. I’m not saying those who have not created jobs are not good enough, but I’m saying these are the people that are proven to say he or she, if they in their own capacity, created a sustainable job for people, that’s what’s required.”

However, insiders argue that his appointments and close links to power are a display of Swapo’s increasing transactional leadership approach where a relatively unknown figure can use money to influence politics.

Andreas also sits on the Meatco board and serves as the deputy chairperson of Gendev Fishing Resources, a fishing company partially owned by Swapo.

Andreas is also the chairperson of Guinas Investments, a firm co-owned by the ruling party.

Guinas – a company that has benefitted from the mass housing programme in the past and financed Swapo’s headquarters in Windhoek – is heavily linked to an over N$3-billion contract to construct and operate a Lüderitz Bay oil and gas supply base.

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