Councillors face repayment for S&T not approved by Sankwasa

Minister of urban and rural development Sankwasa James Sankwasa has cautioned regional and local councillors against travelling without official authorisation from his office, warning that those who do so will be required to repay all related expenses.

Sankwasa said some councillors continue to misuse government travel privileges by embarking on trips without clear purpose or accountability, using subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances for personal gain.

“Not to say why they travelled or what they gained from it. The only thing they gained was the chance to go shopping – to get the S&T for shopping,” he said during the official handover of decentralised agricultural production, extension, and engineering services from the agriculture ministry at Otjiwarongo.

He warned that unauthorised trips will have consequences.

“When you travel without the approval of the special order for councillors, when you travel without the approval of my office, you will repay that money. That, I assure you,” he said.

“There are so many ways to recover that money from you – so many ways.”



Accountability and purpose

Sankwasa emphasised that government-funded travel must serve developmental and professional objec-tives.

“When you travel, even coming here, you must be able to say: ‘I went to Otjiwarongo for four days or one week, and this is what I gained, which I will use to improve my office.’ That is why government pays for your travel. But some people travel only to enjoy the S&T,” he said.

He also reminded councillors and local authority officials that the State Finance Act remains the su-preme law governing the use of public funds.

“The Regional Council Act is not the paramount act on financial management of the state. The Pro-curement Act is not the ultimate act on financial management either,” he said.

“The paramount act that dictates how government money must be spent is the State Finance Act.”

Sankwasa further explained that while the Public Service Act governs employment matters, it does not regulate financial accountability.

“Not even the Public Service Act is paramount on financial management. It deals with how you are employed. How you get paid is governed by the State Finance Act,” he said.



S&T abuse

This is not the first time the minister has raised concerns about travel-related irregularities.

In May, while addressing regional leaders in Opuwo, Sankwasa criticised councillors who allegedly pocket S&T allowances without actually travelling, calling the practice both fraudulent and unethical.

“You only qualify for S&T – that’s what it’s called – when you have travelled. If you have not trav-elled, how do you qualify for a travelling allowance?” he asked at the time.

He added that those authorising such payments should be held accountable.

“If you have not travelled but you have been paid a travelling allowance, that in itself is fraud. Because you have been paid for services you have not rendered. But I would not blame the employee himself, because he’s not paying himself. Those who are paying should be the ones that must account,” he said.



LPM accusations

Meanwhile, Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi has accused Sankwasa of hypocrisy, alleging that the minister himself had received S&T payments for trips that were later cancelled.

Swartbooi claimed Sankwasa cancelled planned meetings with local authorities “because he does not like certain councillors, particularly in the south,” and called on the minister to refund the money.

However, the ministry has dismissed the allegations.

“The ministry has no record of any advance or claim that has been paid to Minister Sankwasa for any trip that was not undertaken to any region,” said executive director Wilhelmine Shivute.

“The ministry, however, has a record of a trip that the [minister] undertook to Outapi, Omusati Region, and he is yet to be paid,” she added.

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