Witbooi chieftainship remains unresolved after Sankwasa intervention

Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa held a meeting at Gibeon on Friday to resolve the Witbooi chieftainship dispute.

Only Hendrik Witbooi and his supporters were present, preventing any resolution.

At the meeting, Sankwasa said the absence of the other claimant, Salomon Witbooi, and his supporters meant that no decision could be taken to solve the dispute, which is dividing the Witbooi royal family and the |Khowese clan.

“As a minister, I must be neutral, and I cannot solve this dispute unless both parties are present.

“I will give the royal family one more push for them to meet and finally make a choice on who should be the rightful candidate.

“I will leave this in the hands of Hardap governor Riaan McNab and the chairperson of the Hardap Regional Council, Gershon Dausab, to host one final meeting with both parties present.

“If the royal family fails this task, this matter will end up in elections,” Sankwasa said.

The succession battle has been ongoing since the death of acting chief Christian Rooi in 2015, who stepped in after the death of kaptein Hendrik Witbooi in 2009.

Both Hendrik, from the paternal line, and Salomon, from the maternal line, are claiming the throne.

According to Sankwasa, an investigation was led by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development in 2017 and found Hendrik to be the legitimate heir under the traditional patrilineal succession, however, Salomon Witbooi rejected this decision, leaving the Nama clan without a leader.

Former minister of urban and rural development Sophia Shaningwa then ordered the royal family to settle the issue or face an election.

But in 2019, former minister Peya Mushelenga designated Hendrik Witbooi as chief, but the High Court invalidated the appointment in 2023, saying it discriminates against those from the maternal line.

The High Court mandated that the family either select a leader by both sides or hold elections, and an appeal was filed by Hendrik in late 2023, but was denied by the Supreme Court.

Sankwasa on Friday warned that if the two parties do not come together and choose one candidate, the last resort would be an election.

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