Nearly N$1m wasted as hostile NYC meeting called off

A representative council meeting of the National Youth Council (NYC), which had been convened at a cost of about N$900 000 at Ondangwa, was called off Saturday without a single agenda item discussed as a result of infighting among attendees and the organisation’s bosses.

NYC director Calista Schwartz-Gowases and the organisation’s executive chairperson, Sharonice Busch, are entangled in a power struggle, with the former accusing the latter of interference.

Busch, on the other hand, has accused Schwartz-Gowases of constantly undermining her authority as head of the institution.

Physical acts

But it was a near-physical confrontation between Schwartz-Gowases and Vakamuina Kamutuezu, a representative of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), that led to Saturday’s emotive meeting being called off. The pair quarrelled over the written minutes of the previous RC meeting, held in 2022.

Kamutuezu said they had requested the minutes from Schwartz-Gowases since Friday but only received a one-page document of a meeting that had spanned three days.

“The board and the staff members that were working on the minutes with Calista had a meeting after the RC meeting in 2022 and she agreed with the board that they will work on the minutes. When we asked for these minutes now, we were told the meetings were not available but will be ready in two hours. We resumed after one hour, but there were still no minutes,” Kamutuezu told Namibian Sun.

“[RC chairperson Willem] Kokoteni wanted to [dissolve] the meeting and I stood up and said we cannot waste money to just come to Ondangwa and not hold [Calista] accountable. She started to insult me, but I stood my ground. She shouted, ‘voetsek, who do you think you are?’ So, it went wrong. She said I was paid by Sharonice to come for her. She almost slapped me, in fact, she was stopped by someone not to touch me,” Kamutuezu added.

Counter accusations

Schwartz-Gowases denied she was the aggressor, instead accusing Kamutuezu of verbally abusing her.

“I am a very professional person; why would I fight someone in the meeting? It is physically impossible to fight. There were questions regarding the minutes and there was high-level disrespect towards me. Throughout the meeting, it was like a personal attack, to the extent that she had to physically leave her table to approach me. She is a member of the structure and has the full right to ask for this, but without attacking a person or demeaning way,” Schwartz-Gowases said.

Kokoteni confirmed the meeting was suspended because of a "push and pull" scenario.

Rift confirmed

Youth minister Agnes Tjongarero has also been singled out for criticism amid allegations that she is protecting Schwartz-Gowases and her alleged gross insubordination towards Busch.

Tjongarero acknowledged the rift between Busch and Schwartz-Gowases, stating efforts were made to address it, which led to the formation of an investigative committee.

The minister said the report implicates both Schwartz-Gowases and Busch. She did not share what actions, if any, would be taken against the pair.

Minister 'in cahoots'

According to Joseph van der Westhuizen, who acted as executive chairperson for a short spell last year, the NYC board took a decision to meet with Tjongarero in July to share allegations about alleged fraud, corruption, and mismanagement against Schwartz-Gowases.

“She [Schwartz-Gowases] left the meeting after the opinion was read and then went on sick leave. The minister never came back after we wrote to her and the matter was elevated to Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. We eventually held a meeting with the minister [Tjongarero], she walked out of the meeting. Calista was at this meeting,” he said.

“The minister has not given us a chance and we were asking how we deal with this issue. The minister is conflicted in this matter because she has refused meetings with the board and when we had a meeting, she walked out and banged her hands on the table angrily. Maybe she is in cahoots with Calista," he claimed.

He added: “We are saying the director has messed up the governance of the NYC and also refused to take instructions from the executive chairperson [Busch], who is the political head. Instead, she is spreading propaganda about the board."

Factions

Factions

Meanwhile, William Minnie, an RC member, said the issues within the NYC run deeper than the dispute over minutes. He said the NYC is instead being divided into three factions, one calling for the removal of the director and the other calling for the removal of Busch and her board.

“It is very clear that there are factions here. There are people calling for the removal of the board and [Busch] and those calling for the director’s removal. But there is also a middle line. Some people are calling for the complete removal of the board, the director,” Minnie said.

Minnie also confirmed that a team was delegated to Schwartz-Gowases in 2022 to draft the minutes, but said this resulted in the delivery of "subpar" minutes.

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