Otjozondjupa in crisis

CARS are grounded, petrol accounts are suspended and employees have been without subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances for more than five months at the Otjozondjupa Regional Council.

The financial crisis has also scuppered a coffin-making project aimed at assisting San people in the region, who can’t afford to bury their dead. Well-placed sources said the Council has been without a chief executive officer for a very long time – since Chief Regional Officer Ndahafa Nghifindaka-Tjiuongua was suspended last year.On top of that, Regional Governor Theo Eiseb has been on sick leave since December and only returned to work on March 3.Approached for comment, Eiseb said he was aware of the non-payment of S&Ts because of alleged poor financial management and said they were investigating the reasons behind the overspending.”I am aware that some creditors like NamPower were not paid and threatened to cut power to the offices but I have appealed to them not to do so while I’m investigating what went wrong,” Eiseb told The Namibian.It has also been reported that the limit on the petrol account was exceeded by N$108 000, with some service stations refusing to provide fuel.Some cars have already been grounded.The coffin-making project initiated by the Regional Council to help the San has particularly hit some of the region’s poorest residents.”It is a serious crisis.There are at least five bodies lying in the mortuaries because the coffin project has come to a standstill,” a source told The Namibian this week.It is hoped that the project will be resurrected once funds allocated for it in the new National Budget are released.The Budget is currently under consideration in the National Assembly.Some sources attribute the start of the Council’s woes to Nghifindaka’s suspension.The Labour Court has subsequently ruled that the right procedures were not followed in her disciplinary case and have nullified the Council’s decision.As a result, her lawyers, Metcalfe Legal Practitioners, have written to the Council to demand her reinstatement or that she be transferred to another Ministry at Under Secretary level.Eiseb said he would only be able to answer The Namibian’s queries next week when he would be back in office.He said he also first needed to consult fellow regional councillor Ferdinand Kavetuna, who has been acting in his place.The Governor has been at Okahandja since Tuesday, commemorating Namibia’s Independence Day at various schools.Well-placed sources said the Council has been without a chief executive officer for a very long time – since Chief Regional Officer Ndahafa Nghifindaka-Tjiuongua was suspended last year.On top of that, Regional Governor Theo Eiseb has been on sick leave since December and only returned to work on March 3.Approached for comment, Eiseb said he was aware of the non-payment of S&Ts because of alleged poor financial management and said they were investigating the reasons behind the overspending. “I am aware that some creditors like NamPower were not paid and threatened to cut power to the offices but I have appealed to them not to do so while I’m investigating what went wrong,” Eiseb told The Namibian.It has also been reported that the limit on the petrol account was exceeded by N$108 000, with some service stations refusing to provide fuel.Some cars have already been grounded.The coffin-making project initiated by the Regional Council to help the San has particularly hit some of the region’s poorest residents.”It is a serious crisis.There are at least five bodies lying in the mortuaries because the coffin project has come to a standstill,” a source told The Namibian this week.It is hoped that the project will be resurrected once funds allocated for it in the new National Budget are released.The Budget is currently under consideration in the National Assembly.Some sources attribute the start of the Council’s woes to Nghifindaka’s suspension.The Labour Court has subsequently ruled that the right procedures were not followed in her disciplinary case and have nullified the Council’s decision.As a result, her lawyers, Metcalfe Legal Practitioners, have written to the Council to demand her reinstatement or that she be transferred to another Ministry at Under Secretary level.Eiseb said he would only be able to answer The Namibian’s queries next week when he would be back in office.He said he also first needed to consult fellow regional councillor Ferdinand Kavetuna, who has been acting in his place.The Governor has been at Okahandja since Tuesday, commemorating Namibia’s Independence Day at various schools.