/Gaio-Dama authority ‘not fit for purpose’ – concerned group

THE /Gaio-Dama Concerned Group Executive Committee (Exco) has declared a dispute with the current /Gaio-Dama Traditional Authority, which it says is not legally constituted and has repeatedly failed to act on community members’ concerns.

The secretary general of the Exco, Samuel Haraseb, said the dispute is a result of various meetings held with community members. Issues emerging from a May 28, 2011 meeting were a question raised over the appointment of the current chief, Max John Haraseb, as well as dissatisfaction over the execution of the authority’s trust fund. The group maintained that the chief at a meeting in April 2006 was ‘hand-picked’ by a group of 26 who ‘designated a chief’ in violation to and in conflict with the Traditional Authorities Act, since there was no adequate representation from various communities that constitute the traditional authority. The May 2011 meeting held that the chief is not a descendant of legitimate /Gaio-Dama tribe, and that he therefore should be removed and/or succeeded by a legitimate descendant to be designated by the /Gaio-Dama community at large. Further, the Exco group said, the traditional community does not benefit from the assets entrusted to the traditional authority leadership, charging that chief Haraseb ‘takes singular decisions and does not necessarily consider the views of the traditional communities being served’. The group questioned how the customary law of the /Gaio-Dama has been researched, compiled, consulted and adopted by the affected tribal communities, and proposed a participatory approach to the development of a customary law and cultural identity and heritage of the authority. Another concern is that the authority established offices at Anker and Grootberg, which the Exco said is not representatively populated by the /Gaio-Dama tribal communities. Also, it said, there is no real collaboration between the traditional authority and the communities. Secretary general Haraseb said formal letters were written to the current leadership and a formal letter of complaint was sent to the Damara King’s Council. Haraseb said two letters dated June 13, 2011 were delivered to the chairperson of the /Gaio-dama trust fund but no responses have been given. He said the dispute will lead to the withdrawal and/or removal of chief Haraseb within a period of three months, and confirmation of how assets and the trust fund have been used. Haraseb said a letter will also be sent to Minister of Local Government and Housing, Jerry Ekandjo, to inform him of the dispute.