Spitzkoppe camp’s future at stake

ILLEGAL decision-making, a lack of financial accountability and nepotism are alleged to be at the root of money problems faced by the Spitzkoppe Community Rest Camp.

Various members of the Spitzkoppe community have contacted The Namibian since Friday, confirming that the future existence of the rest camp would be decided at tomorrow’s meeting. The Namibian reported on Friday that money generated from the project had not been accounted for and that Damara Chief Immanuel #Nu-Axa /Gaseb of the !Oe-#Gån community in the area had ordered the Chiefs Council to conduct a thorough probe into the running of the rest camp.Although local headman Benjamin Mudago !Naruseb denied any knowledge of the irregularities at the camp, The Namibian has obtained a copy of a letter written to rest camp manager Ryan Gariseb by the Omkhaibasen Farmers Co-operative (OKFC) in which claims of “betrayal of the community” were made.The OKFC said its members were unhappy with alleged illegal decision-making, nepotism, lack of accountability, lack of financial reports and a clear vision by those running the project.The farmers’ co-operative demanded “as a matter of urgency”, that a commission be appointed to investigate the project and provide a full financial report on how money donated by filmmakers was spent.”We have, in good faith, made a call in the past to the conservancy and rest camp management to change and review its intransigent behaviour of dealing with community projects,” the OKFC letter, dated December 14 2006, said.It gave the rest camp management 24 hours to respond but has yet to receive an answer.Last week, headman !Naruseb said a probe was underway and the report would soon be submitted to /Gaseb for a decision on the future of those who work there.The founder of the campsite, John Ramakhutla, said he had been approached by sections of the Spitzkoppe community who asked him to return to the project.He said people had informed him that the project had deteriorated and that around N$500 000 donated by filmmakers could not be accounted for.Both camp manager Gariseb and headman !Naruseb denied the allegation but confirmed that it was one of the things being probed by the team assigned by !Oe-#Gån chief /Gaseb.The Namibian reported on Friday that money generated from the project had not been accounted for and that Damara Chief Immanuel #Nu-Axa /Gaseb of the !Oe-#Gån community in the area had ordered the Chiefs Council to conduct a thorough probe into the running of the rest camp.Although local headman Benjamin Mudago !Naruseb denied any knowledge of the irregularities at the camp, The Namibian has obtained a copy of a letter written to rest camp manager Ryan Gariseb by the Omkhaibasen Farmers Co-operative (OKFC) in which claims of “betrayal of the community” were made.The OKFC said its members were unhappy with alleged illegal decision-making, nepotism, lack of accountability, lack of financial reports and a clear vision by those running the project.The farmers’ co-operative demanded “as a matter of urgency”, that a commission be appointed to investigate the project and provide a full financial report on how money donated by filmmakers was spent.”We have, in good faith, made a call in the past to the conservancy and rest camp management to change and review its intransigent behaviour of dealing with community projects,” the OKFC letter, dated December 14 2006, said.It gave the rest camp management 24 hours to respond but has yet to receive an answer.Last week, headman !Naruseb said a probe was underway and the report would soon be submitted to /Gaseb for a decision on the future of those who work there.The founder of the campsite, John Ramakhutla, said he had been approached by sections of the Spitzkoppe community who asked him to return to the project.He said people had informed him that the project had deteriorated and that around N$500 000 donated by filmmakers could not be accounted for.Both camp manager Gariseb and headman !Naruseb denied the allegation but confirmed that it was one of the things being probed by the team assigned by !Oe-#Gån chief /Gaseb.

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