Grootfontein to fire Sinvula
The Grootfontein municipality has resolved to terminate the contract of its CEO Kisco Sinvula, citing irreparable damages to the relationship.
In a dramatic turn of events, Sinvula - who returned to work on Monday after a year-long suspension - did not last two days in office after council decided to terminate his contract on Wednesday.
He has yet to be served his termination notice, and Sinvula’s leadership squabbles with the majority of the councillors have seemingly continued unabated.
In the space of two days, council called two special meetings.
On Monday, when Sinvula returned to work after the High Court ruled that his 22 March 2022 suspension was unlawful, the council resolved to appeal the decision.
Just 24 hours later, news broke that the beleaguered CEO was involved in a physical fight with a council employee. Both Sinvula and the staff member opened assault cases against each other, and according to police, the matter is under investigation.
Beyond repair
According to the meeting minutes - signed by only four councillors - Sinvula’s contract is being terminated because the relationship between him and the council is beyond repair.
“Since 2021, the relationship between the CEO and the council has deteriorated and currently hinders the council in fulfilling its mandate of service delivery in terms of the Local Authority Act,” it read.
Attempts to reach Sinvula for comment proved futile by the time of going to print.
He was employed by the municipality in March 2020.
No ministerial approval
Meanwhile, the fact that Sinvula’s contract is being terminated without ministerial consent has birthed debate on whether local authority councillors have the power to suspend CEOs and terminate their contracts without prior approval.
Although the Act stipulates that ministerial approval is needed, some local authorities have seen technocrats suspended and their services terminated without the consent of the minister.
This has, however, led to the Namibian Association of Local Authority Officers (Nalao) threatening legal action if the urban and rural development ministry does not address the illegal suspension of local authority administrators.
This is contained in a letter dated 29 March 2022 by Nalao president Moses Matyayi to minister Erastus Uutoni.
Matyayi argued that "frivolous" suspensions of CEOs at local authorities have become commonplace and cause these individuals reputational damage.
“Our concerns remain valid and we continue to witness a pervasive trend of non-procedural suspensions of CEOs in the local government sector,” he wrote.
“The unabated campaign to frustrate, intimidate and victimise CEOs with unlawful suspension is a blight on the public image of the entire local authority fraternity, as well as on the image of the line ministry as the custodian and overseer of the local authority sector.”
Matyayi added that suspending CEOs not only burdens the suspended individual, but the institution itself, as it has to continue paying their salary while service to residents is compromised.
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In a dramatic turn of events, Sinvula - who returned to work on Monday after a year-long suspension - did not last two days in office after council decided to terminate his contract on Wednesday.
He has yet to be served his termination notice, and Sinvula’s leadership squabbles with the majority of the councillors have seemingly continued unabated.
In the space of two days, council called two special meetings.
On Monday, when Sinvula returned to work after the High Court ruled that his 22 March 2022 suspension was unlawful, the council resolved to appeal the decision.
Just 24 hours later, news broke that the beleaguered CEO was involved in a physical fight with a council employee. Both Sinvula and the staff member opened assault cases against each other, and according to police, the matter is under investigation.
Beyond repair
According to the meeting minutes - signed by only four councillors - Sinvula’s contract is being terminated because the relationship between him and the council is beyond repair.
“Since 2021, the relationship between the CEO and the council has deteriorated and currently hinders the council in fulfilling its mandate of service delivery in terms of the Local Authority Act,” it read.
Attempts to reach Sinvula for comment proved futile by the time of going to print.
He was employed by the municipality in March 2020.
No ministerial approval
Meanwhile, the fact that Sinvula’s contract is being terminated without ministerial consent has birthed debate on whether local authority councillors have the power to suspend CEOs and terminate their contracts without prior approval.
Although the Act stipulates that ministerial approval is needed, some local authorities have seen technocrats suspended and their services terminated without the consent of the minister.
This has, however, led to the Namibian Association of Local Authority Officers (Nalao) threatening legal action if the urban and rural development ministry does not address the illegal suspension of local authority administrators.
This is contained in a letter dated 29 March 2022 by Nalao president Moses Matyayi to minister Erastus Uutoni.
Matyayi argued that "frivolous" suspensions of CEOs at local authorities have become commonplace and cause these individuals reputational damage.
“Our concerns remain valid and we continue to witness a pervasive trend of non-procedural suspensions of CEOs in the local government sector,” he wrote.
“The unabated campaign to frustrate, intimidate and victimise CEOs with unlawful suspension is a blight on the public image of the entire local authority fraternity, as well as on the image of the line ministry as the custodian and overseer of the local authority sector.”
Matyayi added that suspending CEOs not only burdens the suspended individual, but the institution itself, as it has to continue paying their salary while service to residents is compromised.
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