New Otavi Town Clerk to be appointed in April

THE Otavi Town Council yesterday appointed its senior revenue clerk Ernst Gaoab to act as Town Clerk until the position can be filled permanently.

This decision follows the resignation last month of Joseph Jantze, who occupied the post for almost four years. He officially ended his employment yesterday, but would not divulge his future plans at this stage.Jantze told The Namibian that the council intended to appoint a new Town Clerk by April 1.Following the election of a new mayor last week, the council has now been able to resume discussions on improving revenue collection, which had stalled after the Otavi Residents’ Association decided to give three of its councillors their marching orders last month.After receiving a Government bailout of N$600 000, employees have now also been assured that more than five months of contributions to their pensions and other insurance policies have been paid.Employees went on strike two weeks ago because of this situation.Jantze said yesterday that council had decided to hold several community gatherings to impress on residents the importance of paying their accounts.He said mass community meetings tended to become chaotic.Instead councillors would divide up and meet with smaller groups of residents in the various areas.The failure to send out regular bills for services rendered has landed the council with a bank overdraft of about N$200 000.Water restrictions are also in force at the town because of money owed to NamWater for escalating debt, which now exceeds N$400 000.Last week the new Mayor, Immanuel Kaundje, told The Namibian that the council would seriously have to consider slashing its workforce by between 15 and 20 people because it’s monthly income of about N$50 000 was not enough to meet its salary bill, which is about three times this amount.He officially ended his employment yesterday, but would not divulge his future plans at this stage.Jantze told The Namibian that the council intended to appoint a new Town Clerk by April 1.Following the election of a new mayor last week, the council has now been able to resume discussions on improving revenue collection, which had stalled after the Otavi Residents’ Association decided to give three of its councillors their marching orders last month.After receiving a Government bailout of N$600 000, employees have now also been assured that more than five months of contributions to their pensions and other insurance policies have been paid.Employees went on strike two weeks ago because of this situation.Jantze said yesterday that council had decided to hold several community gatherings to impress on residents the importance of paying their accounts.He said mass community meetings tended to become chaotic.Instead councillors would divide up and meet with smaller groups of residents in the various areas.The failure to send out regular bills for services rendered has landed the council with a bank overdraft of about N$200 000.Water restrictions are also in force at the town because of money owed to NamWater for escalating debt, which now exceeds N$400 000.Last week the new Mayor, Immanuel Kaundje, told The Namibian that the council would seriously have to consider slashing its workforce by between 15 and 20 people because it’s monthly income of about N$50 000 was not enough to meet its salary bill, which is about three times this amount.