Battle for Hardap top job

Ogone Tlhage

WINDHOEK

Henties Bay municipality CEO Elizabeth Coetzee is challenging a decision by the Hardap regional council to overlook a recommendation to appoint her as its chief regional officer (CRO).

Coetzee had been recommended to take over the position on the basis that she was the most suitable candidate. Two years after the recommendation, the council is yet to appoint her. This, despite a favourable recommendation by the Public Service Commission (PSC) as well that she take the reins as CRO.

Meanwhile, the commission indicated that “it is procedurally incorrect to fill the post of the CRO three years and five months since the post was advertised”.

It subsequently recommended that the position be advertised again.

Coetzee accused the regional council of disregarding its own processes.

In June, she dragged council to the labour commissioner, citing unilateral change of terms, disclosure of information, violation of the Labour Act and the alleged unfair decision not to grant her the position for which she was recommended.

Writing to council chairperson Gershon Dausab, Coetzee’s labour representative Olsen Kahiriri threatened to take legal action against him should the recruitment process be restarted.

“It is common cause that the Hardap regional council is abusing its discretionary powers in this regard, consequently putting our client in an invidious and disadvantaged position by not offering her the position while she successfully earns the same,” he wrote.

Wait for Labour Commissioner

The chairperson was further urged to halt any recruitment processes for the appointment of a new CRO.

“We unambiguously demand that you put all your overt actions on hold until the labour commissioner’s office pronounces itself in this matter, or alternatively make the job offer to our client,” he said.

Dausab was warned that he could face legal action should he press ahead with a renewed recruitment process.

“If you continue with your barefaced actions, we hold instructions to institute legal action or seek urgently relevant avenues to interdict your illusionary actions at your own personal legal cost, and that of your office,” Kahiriri wrote.

Best applicant

In an affidavit, Coetzee said her appointment was being overlooked despite her being the most suitable candidate in terms of the Affirmative Action Act.

“As much as the applicant was the second highest scorer, she was the most qualified person in respect to the provisions of the Affirmative Action Act. For reasons unbeknown to the applicant, to date she has not been appointed to that position, nor was she informed of the decision of the Hardap regional council to appoint her.”

She also accused the council of ignoring the PSC’s recommendation.

“All indications are that the Hardap regional council, on an unknown date, resolved not to appoint the applicant - contrary to what it was advised to do by the chairperson of council,” she said.

Start over

The regional council is, however, of the view that the position must be re-advertised, a stance it communicated to Coetzee earlier this year.

“I regret to inform you that based on a recommendation made by the PSC, the post [must] be re-advertised,” a letter by the council’s deputy director for human resources Werner Coetzee - dated 25 January - indicated.

To this, Coetzee said: “If the position is re-advertised and someone else is appointed, the applicant will lose out on this opportunity and what she has spent to take party in the initial process.

“She cannot reapply for the reason that she fears that her application will not be considered fairly”.

She added that the council’s prolonging of the process shows distaste and bias against her, likening the experience to discrimination under Apartheid-era laws.

Attempts to reach Dausab proved futile.