Showing Salmaan The Door

MS Jacobs’s letter (‘Keetmanshoop Caterer Defends Her Turf’) consists of numerous badly connected paragraphs, each with its own theme and direction.

The letter hinges on badly articulated assumptions, ill-motivated accusations, self-praise and self-pity. A close analysis shows the letter to comprise firstly too much about Annarine Jacobs and her catering attributes and secondly, politically clever inferences about what lacks in Karas and what the leadership ought to do.Her letter ultimately praises her husband, Salmaan Jacobs, who according to her is “very diplomatic and respectful towards his Governor” and she cannot understand “why the Governor cannot realise that”.She continues with an attempt to ‘educate’ Karas Governor Boois, tell him him “it is no good to tarnish another’s name in public, it leaves a bad taste and resentment”.It is evident she needs some education to prevent her from becoming a threat to herself and her husband.Ms Jacobs’s husband, Salmaan, is the highest administrative officer in the Karas Region, accountable for all expenditures.He appends his signature to all payments made by the Regional Council.He, by doing this, signals to Governor Dawid Boois and the political leadership that such expenses are legally in order and fall within the operational parameters of the Council.He, secondly, signals to his political bosses that there is no conflict of interest and that nobody will be (intentionally or unintentionally) enriched and that the expenditures satisfy not only the dictates of the Treasury but are also in line with Government’s policies of democracy and equity.It is also of paramount importance that Mr Jacobs in no way benefits from any payment authorised by himself.It is true that nobody can simply accuse him of benefiting from tenders awarded to his wife.It is however, a fact that Ms Jacobs is the nearest person to him, since they are married and share a common abode.Therefore nobody could blame a taxpayer or community member from accusing him of favouring his wife or benefiting from the proceeds of the tender awarded to her.And let me be clear: the administrative work needed for the processing of the tender and payment need not be done by Mr Jacobs himself.Another official could have done it.What is the moral of the story? The concept ‘conflict of interest’ has for many been very valuable and useful to private and public senior administrators.It helped them, and should be helping them, to appoint people and to award tenders and contracts objectively and without seeking benefits for themselves.Ms Jacobs could therefore be awarded tenders and receive monies from any private or public institution as long as it is not the Karas Regional Council or institution her husband is party to.There is serious conflict of interest when she is awarded tenders by the Karas Regional Council.There is a second lesson to learn for Ms Jacobs.I am sure she is acquainted with the expression “high winds blow on high hills” (Die hoogste bome vang die meeste wind).Hon Boois is the Governor and political leader of the Karas Region; Salmaan Jacobs is the most powerful administrative figure there.It could be accepted the eyes of the community will focus not only on him but also on his wife.Her behaviour should be beyond reproach and she should never be an embarrassment for her husband.Her business ventures should stay clear of decisions pertaining to the financial operations of the Karas region and her husband should have advised her not to submit tenders or should not have allowed the tenders to be tabled.It seems that it happened more than once, which vies the Governor the reason to show Salmaan Jacobs the door.He is, in interest of good and honest regional government, under obligation to do so.Petrus Voogts KarasburgA close analysis shows the letter to comprise firstly too much about Annarine Jacobs and her catering attributes and secondly, politically clever inferences about what lacks in Karas and what the leadership ought to do.Her letter ultimately praises her husband, Salmaan Jacobs, who according to her is “very diplomatic and respectful towards his Governor” and she cannot understand “why the Governor cannot realise that”.She continues with an attempt to ‘educate’ Karas Governor Boois, tell him him “it is no good to tarnish another’s name in public, it leaves a bad taste and resentment”.It is evident she needs some education to prevent her from becoming a threat to herself and her husband.Ms Jacobs’s husband, Salmaan, is the highest administrative officer in the Karas Region, accountable for all expenditures.He appends his signature to all payments made by the Regional Council.He, by doing this, signals to Governor Dawid Boois and the political leadership that such expenses are legally in order and fall within the operational parameters of the Council.He, secondly, signals to his political bosses that there is no conflict of interest and that nobody will be (intentionally or unintentionally) enriched and that the expenditures satisfy not only the dictates of the Treasury but are also in line with Government’s policies of democracy and equity.It is also of paramount importance that Mr Jacobs in no way benefits from any payment authorised by himself.It is true that nobody can simply accuse him of benefiting from tenders awarded to his wife.It is however, a fact that Ms Jacobs is the nearest person to him, since they are married and share a common abode.Therefore nobody could blame a taxpayer or community member from accusing him of favouring his wife or benefiting from the proceeds of the tender awarded to her.And let me be clear: the administrative work needed for the processing of the tender and payment need not be done by Mr Jacobs himself.Another official could have done it.What is the moral of the story? The concept ‘conflict of interest’ has for many been very valuable and useful to private and public senior administrators.It helped them, and should be helping them, to appoint people and to award tenders and contracts objectively and without seeking benefits for themselves.Ms Jacobs could therefore be awarded tenders and receive monies from any private or public institution as long as it is not the Karas Regional Council or institution her husband is party to.There is serious conflict of interest when she is awarded tenders by the Karas Regional Council.There is a second lesson to learn for Ms Jacobs.I am sure she is acquainted with the expression “high winds blow on high hills” (Die hoogste bome vang die meeste wind).Hon Boois is the Governor and political leader of the Karas Region; Salmaan Jacobs is the most powerful administrative figure there.It could be accepted the eyes of the community will focus not only on him but also on his wife.Her behaviour should be beyond reproach and she should never be an embarrassment for her husband.Her business ventures should stay clear of decisions pertaining to the financial operations of the Karas region and her husband should have advised her not to submit tenders or should not have allowed the tenders to be tabled.It seems that it happened more than once, which vies the Governor the reason to show Salmaan Jacobs the door.He is, in interest of good and honest regional government, under obligation to do so.Petrus Voogts Karasburg