PM’s call to whistle-blowers

I READ about the PM’s call on whistle-blowers to help government fight corruption and although I only read it on the website I felt rather apprehensive about the idea.

The first thing that comes to mind is what protection is guaranteed for whistle-blowers in the absence of appropriate legislation, as I was one of those who were “viciously hunted down” for doing just that. My “boss” could hand out “performance and bonus cheques” as well as “housing allowances” during weekends to his girlfriend and other close confidantes.S&T was claimed for non-existent trips with the help of a relative in the finance department and the money shared.When I asked about Government property such as a stove that made a mysterious nocturnal exit from well-guarded premises, all hell broke loose and I was told: “I am the boss and you Swapos who were here inside will not tell us what to do”.The most daring of all daylight heists ever pulled was when the boss (as he preferred to call himself) issued a cheque to himself, backdated it and paid it through his girlfriend, collected the loot and married his newfound love.One of the local dailies picked it up and promised readers the full Monty but the article was inexplicably quashed much to the disappointment of many.When the war of attrition intensified I took my first leave of 24 days in 7 years and upon my return I was told that I was “fired the day I said goodbye” and my salary immediately stopped.Reason: “unauthorised leave”, despite having tendered my leave form in mid-April for leave starting only in July.The real reason, I later learned, was because I approached the then office of former Prime Minister Hage Geingob as well as the Office of the Auditor General concerning some financial malpractices.Unofficially I was told the other reason was because I started supporting CoD (of which I’m not a member) but this fabrication fell through.The next fabrication was that I went to the United States to canvass funds for an opposition party and allegedly held talks with former US President Bill Clinton at the White House.The intelligence agency of whoever was involved in a rather futile and amateurish phone-tapping of nearly four years must have realised that they paid huge sums of money for information that was not credible and that they had in fact been conned.I was confidentially informed by a lawyer, close to the corridors of power, that my case was “very sensitive and potentially embarrassing to Government” and that the loss-of-income part of the settlement was not the issue but the issue of potential damages.My lawyer echoed the same sentiments and added that it was no ordinary labour matter but a “political case” where success was not guaranteed.The magistrate of the District Labour Court blatantly told me she was not bound by the findings made in my favour by the Labour Commissioner and the Ministry of Labour and we headed for the High Court where a judge was appointed to hear my case.And although I believed I had a strong case I was apprehensive about a foreign judge on the bench who was dependent on Government for the extension of his contract, compounded by the fact that I by then had very little faith in Namibia’s judicial system.Other strong points in my favour were the absence of a letter or memo telling me not to have gone on leave, evidence of what I then described as “ruthless clandestine plotting” despite the fact that one of my bosses blatantly lied to the court saying he called me into his office not to go, first in the presence of a colleague and then later contradicted himself on that score but which sadly, was ignored by the judge.During these very trying times, apart from Geingob and Ignatius Shixuameni, I also approached the then Deputy PM Hendrik Witbooi; Mr Theo-Ben Gurirab; the Governor of the Karas Region and Chairperson of the Board, Mr Stephanus Goliath; Ombudswoman Bience Gawanas; Police Commercial Crime Investigations and many others but to no avail.After months of endless inquiries, anxiety and financial woes, I “lost” the case and was told I was “welcome to proceed to the Supreme Court if I had the money”.The money for my accumulated leave days and other monies were also “confiscated’ by the State.To my amusement I also later heard that I was a ‘foreigner’ and thus not entitled to certain rights and privileges despite having given close to 7 of my best years to the liberation struggle in Namibia, but, sadly all my battles were compounded by a somewhat hostile media that already took sides long before the judge pronounced his predictable verdict.So Mr Prime Minister, I directed this open letter to you as I am convinced you have, in such a short space of time, demonstrated more zest, true commitment and passion for this esteemed office than your predecessors and although I’ve demonstrated great magnanimity towards those who plotted to destroy my career (and thus put my small kids under severe strain) I always knew that one day I will be vindicated and those ‘rotten apples’ brought to book.Comrade Prime Minister, whistle-blowers will always be discredited and victimised by the powerful and with all due respect, Sir, it will be almost impossible the blow the whistle on people who occupy all the strategic positions, not only in government but SOEs and private sector and bolstered up with political muscle, and subsequently a different set of rules applies to them.It is a sad reality that Namibians, under the Nujoma administration, (where tribal manoeuvring and machinations were commonplace) were not completely free and are only now opening up.I would nonetheless urge all to heed your call while being mindful of the repercussions.Jora Jochem Cape TownMy “boss” could hand out “performance and bonus cheques” as well as “housing allowances” during weekends to his girlfriend and other close confidantes.S&T was claimed for non-existent trips with the help of a relative in the finance department and the money shared.When I asked about Government property such as a stove that made a mysterious nocturnal exit from well-guarded premises, all hell broke loose and I was told: “I am the boss and you Swapos who were here inside will not tell us what to do”.The most daring of all daylight heists ever pulled was when the boss (as he preferred to call himself) issued a cheque to himself, backdated it and paid it through his girlfriend, collected the loot and married his newfound love.One of the local dailies picked it up and promised readers the full Monty but the article was inexplicably quashed much to the disappointment of many.When the war of attrition intensified I took my first leave of 24 days in 7 years and upon my return I was told that I was “fired the day I said goodbye” and my salary immediately stopped.Reason: “unauthorised leave”, despite having tendered my leave form in mid-April for leave starting only in July.The real reason, I later learned, was because I approached the then office of former Prime Minister Hage Geingob as well as the Office of the Auditor General concerning some financial malpractices.Unofficially I was told the other reason was because I started supporting CoD (of which I’m not a member) but this fabrication fell through.The next fabrication was that I went to the United States to canvass funds for an opposition party and allegedly held talks with former US President Bill Clinton at the White House.The intelligence agency of whoever was involved in a rather futile and amateurish phone-tapping of nearly four years must have realised that they paid huge sums of money for information that was not credible and that they had in fact been conned.I was confidentially informed by a lawyer, close to the corridors of power, that my case was “very sensitive and potentially embarrassing to Government” and that the loss-of-income part of the settlement was not the issue but the issue of potential damages.My lawyer echoed the same sentiments and added that it was no ordinary labour matter but a “political case” where success was not guaranteed.The magistrate of the District Labour Court blatantly told me she was not bound by the findings ma
de in my favour by the Labour Commissioner and the Ministry of Labour and we headed for the High Court where a judge was appointed to hear my case.And although I believed I had a strong case I was apprehensive about a foreign judge on the bench who was dependent on Government for the extension of his contract, compounded by the fact that I by then had very little faith in Namibia’s judicial system.Other strong points in my favour were the absence of a letter or memo telling me not to have gone on leave, evidence of what I then described as “ruthless clandestine plotting” despite the fact that one of my bosses blatantly lied to the court saying he called me into his office not to go, first in the presence of a colleague and then later contradicted himself on that score but which sadly, was ignored by the judge.During these very trying times, apart from Geingob and Ignatius Shixuameni, I also approached the then Deputy PM Hendrik Witbooi; Mr Theo-Ben Gurirab; the Governor of the Karas Region and Chairperson of the Board, Mr Stephanus Goliath; Ombudswoman Bience Gawanas; Police Commercial Crime Investigations and many others but to no avail.After months of endless inquiries, anxiety and financial woes, I “lost” the case and was told I was “welcome to proceed to the Supreme Court if I had the money”.The money for my accumulated leave days and other monies were also “confiscated’ by the State.To my amusement I also later heard that I was a ‘foreigner’ and thus not entitled to certain rights and privileges despite having given close to 7 of my best years to the liberation struggle in Namibia, but, sadly all my battles were compounded by a somewhat hostile media that already took sides long before the judge pronounced his predictable verdict.So Mr Prime Minister, I directed this open letter to you as I am convinced you have, in such a short space of time, demonstrated more zest, true commitment and passion for this esteemed office than your predecessors and although I’ve demonstrated great magnanimity towards those who plotted to destroy my career (and thus put my small kids under severe strain) I always knew that one day I will be vindicated and those ‘rotten apples’ brought to book.Comrade Prime Minister, whistle-blowers will always be discredited and victimised by the powerful and with all due respect, Sir, it will be almost impossible the blow the whistle on people who occupy all the strategic positions, not only in government but SOEs and private sector and bolstered up with political muscle, and subsequently a different set of rules applies to them.It is a sad reality that Namibians, under the Nujoma administration, (where tribal manoeuvring and machinations were commonplace) were not completely free and are only now opening up.I would nonetheless urge all to heed your call while being mindful of the repercussions.Jora Jochem Cape Town