The Rössing Foundation and the Ondangwa-based Katutura Youth Enterprise Centre (Kayec) are in the High Court this week after the foundation sued to evict the youth training centre over alleged lease breaches.
Kayec provides vocational training courses across four locations in the country, including Ondangwa.
The Rössing Foundation is the corporate social investment arm of China National Uranium Corporation, formerly of Rössing Uranium Limited.
In 2013, the foundation and the youth centre entered into a lease agreement for a piece of land at Ondangwa, on which Kayec was to build its training centre. The two entities carried out training at the centre.
Kayec was not obligated to pay rent for the land to the foundation, but it agreed to take responsibility for paying municipality services. It also needed approval from Rössing for any changes to the building.
Rössing filed a complaint in 2023, citing failure to provide proof of municipal service payments and unauthorised changes to the building.
The foundation claims that Kayec materially breached the contract and must, therefore, leave the land and the training centre.
Kayec denies both claims and has submitted evidence that it had made payments to the municipality and had communicated plans with the previous directors.
“The current action came as a shock to Kayec and me personally. To add insult to injury no attempt was made by the current director of Rössing Foundation to engage Kayec and/or its trustees for purposes to discuss this sudden change of heart,” Kayec trustee Thomas Newton says in his witness statement.
Kayec says the two parties had been partners in providing training to local communities and that the lease was a formal agreement that formed part of a larger joint venture.
The case has been postponed to 16 March.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
