Tsumeb residents feel ‘left out’

CONCERNED elders at Tsumeb believe the former and current ministers of urban and rural development have deserted the once-flourishing copper town.

Their concerns are due to the alleged maladministration at the town’s municipality.

The municipality suspended its acting chief executive officer (CEO) and general manager of finance, Karolina Damases yesterday, following reports of serious mismanagement of public funds and ultimate disregard of public policy.

Community elder Nico Kaiyamo has been vocal about the town’s administrative matters for years.

This has landed him in hot water with Swapo, of which he is a member, and local authority councillors.

He blames current minister of urban and rural development Erastus Uutoni and former minister Peya Mushelenga for the town’s troubles, saying they were aware of the issues, but turned a blind eye.

“The current minister, Erastus Uutoni, and former minister Peya Mushelenga have deserted Tsumeb when we needed them most. I personally have spoken to them. Colleagues have written letters, but they have not responded,” Kaiyamo says.

Steve Somseb, another community elder, says he has not seen the minister visiting the town in a while.

“I have only heard that the minister was supposed to come to town this year. Maybe he’s still coming,” Somseb says.

He encourages both employees and members of the public to come forward with information and proposals on how to improve the town’s administration.

Somseb further invites Uutoni to visit the town and assess the situation at the municipality.

Lucas Victor has been living at Tsumeb for the past 10 years.

During this time, he says, the town’s administration has remained a challenge.

Tsumeb has been without a substantive chief executive officer since the departure of Alfeus Benjamin in 2018.

Victor says the challenges are related to transparency and accountability.

“Things are not done in a transparent manner, starting from the allocation of plots and how the town is run. The community has petitioned since 2011, but nothing has come of it,” he says.

He describes the suspension of the acting CEO as good news and a sign that things will change.

Damases, who has been acting CEO since Benjamin’s departure, was suspended yesterday afternoon.

Tsumeb’s mayor, Mathew Hangula, confirmed her suspension.

It is premature for me to determine the period of the suspension, because the hearing also needs to take place. I am not the one who is formulating the charge. But she has been suspended indefinitely,” Hangula said.

According to sources in the municipality, Damases was suspended as a result of an independent audit report into the affairs of the municipality’s procurement and properties department.

The investigation was launched after it was found the procurement of vehicle parts was allegedly done through a business belonging to a relative of Damases.

There are also allegations that the municipality has lost N$2 million in rates at taxes from a block of flats due to negligence on her part.

Further allegations are that she has been instructing her subordinate to overlook certain land deals.

Johannes Johannes, who represents at Tsumeb Affirmative Repositioning movement, welcomes Damases’ suspension.

He says the movement has in recent months written several letters to her, as well as to the mayor, seeking an audience to address the issue of suspected maladministration.

Former urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga denied turning a blind eye on Tsumeb during his tenure.

“He (Kaiyamo) alleged wrongdoings and was called to make presentation to the ministry. He met senior ministry staff. The issue that he presented was investigated and it came around differently,”said Mushelenga.

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