THE Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) is questioning NamPower’s decision to appoint an executive with a degree in agricultural engineering as the utility’s head of power generation.
The parastatal on 2 November appointed Gerson Rukata for five years.
Rukata registered with the Engineering Council of Namibia (ECN) in May this year – the same month he applied for the job at the parastatal.
MUN chairperson Epson Nakale wrote to NamPower’s managing director, Simson Haulofu, on 5 November, asking the national power utility to explain its decision.
Nakale said the union has received several complaints about Rukata’s appointment.
“These are challenges perceived to be of non-compliance and a violation to the recruitment, selection, and placement policy, with an element favouring some employees over others,” Nakale stated in the letter.
NamPower advertised the position earlier this year, with a closing date of 30 April.
One of the requirements was that the applicant should have 10 years’ experience in the general electrical power industry and be registered with the ECN.
Nakale said one of the complaints they received was that Rukata did not fully meet the minimum requirements, adding that NamPower allegedly conducted interviews on two different occasions for the same position.
Nakale asked why the position was not readvertised after none of the available candidates scored at least 50%.
The position was previously held by Reiner Jagau, who retired three months ago.
NamPower also required the preferred candidate to be in possession of a bachelor’s degree (NQF 7).
The MUN questioned why lower positions than the executive level at NamPower required higher qualifications.
“Is there a certain specialty of the said position to lower the requirements?” Nakale asked.
“Can it be established that this position was indeed taken for job evaluation, or that the requirements were tailor-made to accommodate individuals who could not meet the initial minimum requirements?”
According to Nakale, Rukata has a degree in agricultural engineering, and not in an electrical or mechanical-related field.
ECN president Erastus Ikela says Rukata’s registration with the council was based on his 20 years of experience, and the fact that agriculture and mechanical engineering are linked. “His registration as a professional engineer in mechanical engineering was based on the fact that agricultural engineering has a mechanical engineering component, and on the fact that he has been working on mechanical engineering projects for more than 20 years, coupled with the outcome of the interview panel, which recommended his registration as a professional engineer in mechanical engineering,” Ikela says.
The council’s administrator, Elsie Gorases, says Rukata was registered as a professional mechanical engineer on 27 May.
This is a month after NamPower’s application for the position closed.
The union asked NamPower for Rukata’s CV, but their request was denied.
The Namibian has seen Haulofu’s response to the union, dated 9 November.
In his response, Haulofu states that the union has no right to question NamPower’s management’s decision.
“I am equally of the view that the position of executive for generation is out of the bargaining unit. As such, management is not really obliged to respond to the points as outlined in your letter,” he said.
NamPower has over the years faced allegations of favoritism in appointing its top executives.
There are already talks about an ongoing scramble among top executives to succeed Haulofu when he retires.
Haulofu told The Namibian that the recruitment process was done in line with company policies.
“A transparent process was followed, and a suitable candidate was found after an extensive and in-depth recruitment process was followed.”
Rukata previously worked as NamPower’s acting chief operating officer.
He told The Namibian he trusts the judgement of NamPower’s management.
