Govt to review hostel contract after food supply controversy

INDEPENDENCE Caterers appears to have got away with a slap on the wrist after Cabinet recommended only the mildest of steps over the quality of food it supplies to school hostels.

The company controls almost all State catering contracts via its Catering Association of Namibia group of companies, Allegations over questionable practices in the State catering trade will now be dealt with by the Anti-Corruption Commission, which is also investigating the matter. Cabinet announced yesterday that the catering contract with Independence Caterers was to be reviewed by the Office of the Attorney General.In the meantime, the company has been instructed to remove substandard items like milk powder “and replace it with quality items as per the tender specifications”.Independence Caterers has held the contract since 2001.Cabinet also endorsed the Treasury Cabinet Committee (TCC) recommendation that priority be given to the renovation of school hostels, and recommended that mahangu porridge be included on school hostel menus.The resolution noted that Cabinet in January this year had established an inter-ministerial committee consisting of the Ministries of Finance, Education, Health and Social Services and Justice to “review the entire contract with caterers”.The investigation’s findings – a voluminous bundle of documents – were reduced to four recommendations by the Treasury Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Finance Ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary, Erica Shafuda.The investigation was launched after The Namibian reported on January 6 on questionable practices in Independence’s catering for hostels and hospitals, which included alleged additives that allegedly dangerously increased sodium (salt) levels in meat and milk.It was also reported that meat and milk products supplied by Independence Caterers often failed to meet the Ministry of Education’s tender specifications.Meat and milk make up more than half of any catering contract’s costs, according to industry experts.The technical committee, which included officials from all four ministries and legal advisor Sackey Shanghala from the Minister of Justice (and Attorney General) Pendukeni Ithana-Iivula’s offices, had sampled food from 13 different regions.The samples were sent to Windhoek-based Analytical Laboratory Services and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) for analysis, the statement said.The Namibian subsequently reported that lab tests indicated that most of the meat and all of the milk samples had failed to meet accepted criteria for what constituted meat and milk products, meaning mince, sausage and milk powder.”Although the allegations on high quantities of salt in the food were rejected, it was found that starch and soya were added to the meat products contrary to the specifications of the contract,” the Cabinet statement said.The powdered milk blend was also found to be of low nutritional value and contrary to specifications, it further stated.The initial report in The Namibian also raised questions over the “shared services” arrangement between Independence and its associated syndicate of companies, the Catering Association of Namibia and how this might have affected competitive tendering practices.No reference to this appears to have been included in the mandate of the technical committee, which heard evidence in late February after an initial false start in the sampling procedures when some samples had to be re-taken.”During the investigation, it was also found that the infrastructure of many school hostel kitchens was dilapidated,” the Cabinet statement concluded.Education Permanent Secretary Vitalis Ankama yesterday confirmed his undertaking to have the full report released publicly.The Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Erna van der Merwe, yesterday declined to comment on the outcome of the inter-ministerial probe.Independence Caterers Chairman Aaron Mushimba and Welwitschia Catering are currently suing The Namibian and this reporter for a combined N$425 000 in damages for alleged defamation.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587Cabinet announced yesterday that the catering contract with Independence Caterers was to be reviewed by the Office of the Attorney General.In the meantime, the company has been instructed to remove substandard items like milk powder “and replace it with quality items as per the tender specifications”.Independence Caterers has held the contract since 2001.Cabinet also endorsed the Treasury Cabinet Committee (TCC) recommendation that priority be given to the renovation of school hostels, and recommended that mahangu porridge be included on school hostel menus.The resolution noted that Cabinet in January this year had established an inter-ministerial committee consisting of the Ministries of Finance, Education, Health and Social Services and Justice to “review the entire contract with caterers”.The investigation’s findings – a voluminous bundle of documents – were reduced to four recommendations by the Treasury Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Finance Ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary, Erica Shafuda.The investigation was launched after The Namibian reported on January 6 on questionable practices in Independence’s catering for hostels and hospitals, which included alleged additives that allegedly dangerously increased sodium (salt) levels in meat and milk.It was also reported that meat and milk products supplied by Independence Caterers often failed to meet the Ministry of Education’s tender specifications.Meat and milk make up more than half of any catering contract’s costs, according to industry experts.The technical committee, which included officials from all four ministries and legal advisor Sackey Shanghala from the Minister of Justice (and Attorney General) Pendukeni Ithana-Iivula’s offices, had sampled food from 13 different regions.The samples were sent to Windhoek-based Analytical Laboratory Services and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) for analysis, the statement said. The Namibian subsequently reported that lab tests indicated that most of the meat and all of the milk samples had failed to meet accepted criteria for what constituted meat and milk products, meaning mince, sausage and milk powder.”Although the allegations on high quantities of salt in the food were rejected, it was found that starch and soya were added to the meat products contrary to the specifications of the contract,” the Cabinet statement said.The powdered milk blend was also found to be of low nutritional value and contrary to specifications, it further stated.The initial report in The Namibian also raised questions over the “shared services” arrangement between Independence and its associated syndicate of companies, the Catering Association of Namibia and how this might have affected competitive tendering practices.No reference to this appears to have been included in the mandate of the technical committee, which heard evidence in late February after an initial false start in the sampling procedures when some samples had to be re-taken.”During the investigation, it was also found that the infrastructure of many school hostel kitchens was dilapidated,” the Cabinet statement concluded.Education Permanent Secretary Vitalis Ankama yesterday confirmed his undertaking to have the full report released publicly.The Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Erna van der Merwe, yesterday declined to comment on the outcome of the inter-ministerial probe.Independence Caterers Chairman Aaron Mushimba and Welwitschia Catering are currently suing The Namibian and this reporter for a combined N$425 000 in damages for alleged defamation.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587