‘Inspect our laptops, cell phones’
Kandjoze denies N$1.5bn C-Sixty deal was corrupt
The Namdia deal remains an albatross around the former mines minister's neck, four years after he was removed from the portfolio and reported to the ACC by President Geingob.
Former mines minister Obeth Kandjoze says there was nothing corrupt about how he handpicked C-Sixty, previously a sanitation entity with no experience in diamond dealings, for a N$1.5 billion contract to valuate Namib Desert Diamonds' (Namdia) diamonds.
The controversial deal saw President Hage Geingob report Kandjoze and Sacky Shanghala, then the attorney general, to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for their perceived role in the deal.
Although ACC subsequently did not indict Kandjoze for corruption, the minister was moved away from the ministry of mines and became the director general of the National Planning Commission, a position he still holds to date.
Fallout
Geingob specifically told Kandjoze that he was moving him away from the mines portfolio because of allegations of corruption levelled against him.
Shanghala, who is currently in jail over the Fishrot scandal, was removed as attorney general and became the minister of justice – his last government posting before he hastily resigned over the Fishrot bribery scandal, for which he awaits trial.
A Namibian Sun investigation in January 2021 detailed how Kandjoze and Shanghala were able to compel Namdia to offer its diamonds to C-Sixty, a former cleaning company boasting only its political capital and no track record in valuing diamonds.
Namdia board chairperson at the time, the late Shakespeare Masiza, was opposed to the deal, but Kandjoze got his way.
The contract was awarded to C-Sixty despite Namdia having already had a consultant, Niel Haddock, carry out valuation work for the government entity.
C-Sixty made compelling case
Appearing on The Agenda last week, Kandjoze pointed out how he had no qualms handing over the lucrative contract to C-Sixty, despite it being only three months old when it was awarded the contract.
"Given the extensive, technological write-up and business plan provided, to us it was clear; not so much the history of the company, but did they demonstrate stealth and ability to do the work, or did they not, when that final submission was made? It’s not just the minister that sat down, it was the permanent secretary, all of us to look at that thing," said Kandjoze.
It was a race against time to ensure Namdia could have its diamonds valuated and sold on, and care was taken to appoint the right company to do the valuation for Namdia, Kandjoze explained.
"The only piece of the puzzle that was struggling to come to the fore was a diamond valuator, and we ran against time to make sure we have a company that has what it takes, it understands the business, is fit for purpose and it was able to execute our mandate," he said.
"We ticked off all those boxes, and we went on valuating diamonds," Kandjoze added.
No sensitive information passed on
Kandjoze also used the platform to deny allegations that he and Shanghala were able to pass critical information to C-Sixty to enable it to win the lucrative bid.
"Begin to trace, the ability for systems, how Kandjoze and Sacky, leaked that info. It cannot be the subject of suspicion; get our laptops and our cell phones and trace that and prove same other than leaving it for public opinion," he said.
Kandjoze said he was made party to the process of establishing Namdia, a process that had already been set in motion by his predecessor, Isak Katali.
"When I was appointed, this was work left over by the previous minister. Between them and me and the rest of the team, I don’t know what could have happened," Kandjoze said.
Cleaning company becomes valuator
Eyebrows were first raised in January 2016 when C-Sixty was established, using an existing sanitation services company, and merely changing the name and the main objective to that of diamond-related activities.
The company was called Amalooloo Sanitation Traders (Pty) Ltd and offered sanitation services.
In May 2016, the company was transformed into a diamond valuation entity and scooped the lucrative Namdia tender.
Questions have been raised about how the owners of C-Sixty became aware of the opportunity if the deal was only made public in May 2016.
Various details contained in the sales and marketing agreement, such as the establishment of Namdia, the diamond purchase allocation, and other details, only became publicly available on 16 May 2016, when the deal between the government and De Beers was signed.
Current mines minister Tom Alweendo has in the meantime halted the contract.
The controversial deal saw President Hage Geingob report Kandjoze and Sacky Shanghala, then the attorney general, to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for their perceived role in the deal.
Although ACC subsequently did not indict Kandjoze for corruption, the minister was moved away from the ministry of mines and became the director general of the National Planning Commission, a position he still holds to date.
Fallout
Geingob specifically told Kandjoze that he was moving him away from the mines portfolio because of allegations of corruption levelled against him.
Shanghala, who is currently in jail over the Fishrot scandal, was removed as attorney general and became the minister of justice – his last government posting before he hastily resigned over the Fishrot bribery scandal, for which he awaits trial.
A Namibian Sun investigation in January 2021 detailed how Kandjoze and Shanghala were able to compel Namdia to offer its diamonds to C-Sixty, a former cleaning company boasting only its political capital and no track record in valuing diamonds.
Namdia board chairperson at the time, the late Shakespeare Masiza, was opposed to the deal, but Kandjoze got his way.
The contract was awarded to C-Sixty despite Namdia having already had a consultant, Niel Haddock, carry out valuation work for the government entity.
C-Sixty made compelling case
Appearing on The Agenda last week, Kandjoze pointed out how he had no qualms handing over the lucrative contract to C-Sixty, despite it being only three months old when it was awarded the contract.
"Given the extensive, technological write-up and business plan provided, to us it was clear; not so much the history of the company, but did they demonstrate stealth and ability to do the work, or did they not, when that final submission was made? It’s not just the minister that sat down, it was the permanent secretary, all of us to look at that thing," said Kandjoze.
It was a race against time to ensure Namdia could have its diamonds valuated and sold on, and care was taken to appoint the right company to do the valuation for Namdia, Kandjoze explained.
"The only piece of the puzzle that was struggling to come to the fore was a diamond valuator, and we ran against time to make sure we have a company that has what it takes, it understands the business, is fit for purpose and it was able to execute our mandate," he said.
"We ticked off all those boxes, and we went on valuating diamonds," Kandjoze added.
No sensitive information passed on
Kandjoze also used the platform to deny allegations that he and Shanghala were able to pass critical information to C-Sixty to enable it to win the lucrative bid.
"Begin to trace, the ability for systems, how Kandjoze and Sacky, leaked that info. It cannot be the subject of suspicion; get our laptops and our cell phones and trace that and prove same other than leaving it for public opinion," he said.
Kandjoze said he was made party to the process of establishing Namdia, a process that had already been set in motion by his predecessor, Isak Katali.
"When I was appointed, this was work left over by the previous minister. Between them and me and the rest of the team, I don’t know what could have happened," Kandjoze said.
Cleaning company becomes valuator
Eyebrows were first raised in January 2016 when C-Sixty was established, using an existing sanitation services company, and merely changing the name and the main objective to that of diamond-related activities.
The company was called Amalooloo Sanitation Traders (Pty) Ltd and offered sanitation services.
In May 2016, the company was transformed into a diamond valuation entity and scooped the lucrative Namdia tender.
Questions have been raised about how the owners of C-Sixty became aware of the opportunity if the deal was only made public in May 2016.
Various details contained in the sales and marketing agreement, such as the establishment of Namdia, the diamond purchase allocation, and other details, only became publicly available on 16 May 2016, when the deal between the government and De Beers was signed.
Current mines minister Tom Alweendo has in the meantime halted the contract.
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