TransNamib to fight damages case to the bitter end

TRANSPORT parastatal TransNamib has vowed to fight its battle against a former senior manager “tooth and nail”.

The company lost yet another round in its long battle against former senior manager Bernhardt !Gaeb two weeks ago but immediately decided to proceed with its appeal against a District Labour Court decision to award damages of N$468 200 against the company. Well-placed TransNamib sources said the company initially intended to settle out of court but top management decided to go ahead with the appeal that was set down for July 7 last year before it was postponed after the company’s lawyers claimed that the Office of the Registrar had not notified them in writing and that they were thus not ready to resume with the case.Two weeks ago, Acting Judge Annel Silungwe dismissed TransNamib’s plea for another postponement with costs and called on the two parties to arrange a date for the hearing with the Office of the Registrar.!Gaeb resigned in January 2005 following an alleged witch-hunt against former managers assigned to a project to turn around TransNamib’s financial position.They were not reinstated in their former positions after the project was completed.The other former TransNamib managers are Moses Mbai, Gothard !Howaeb and Erenfried ‘Tjivi’ Ndjoonduezu, who all decided to take the company to court after they were all found guilty of misconduct by a disciplinary hearing.Well-placed TransNamib sources said the company initially intended to settle out of court but top management decided to go ahead with the appeal that was set down for July 7 last year before it was postponed after the company’s lawyers claimed that the Office of the Registrar had not notified them in writing and that they were thus not ready to resume with the case.Two weeks ago, Acting Judge Annel Silungwe dismissed TransNamib’s plea for another postponement with costs and called on the two parties to arrange a date for the hearing with the Office of the Registrar.!Gaeb resigned in January 2005 following an alleged witch-hunt against former managers assigned to a project to turn around TransNamib’s financial position.They were not reinstated in their former positions after the project was completed.The other former TransNamib managers are Moses Mbai, Gothard !Howaeb and Erenfried ‘Tjivi’ Ndjoonduezu, who all decided to take the company to court after they were all found guilty of misconduct by a disciplinary hearing.