Gobabis to charge officials, institute hearing
• Six suspended with full pay
While the municipality assured that the employees would be charged, those involved claim they were suspended unfairly.
Ogone TlhageWINDHOEK
The Gobabis municipality intends to officially charge employees who face corruption charges related to alleged nepotism and the awarding of dubious tenders, Namibian Sun understands.
Last year, the municipality placed six employees on suspension with full pay, namely finance executive Filemon Makili, corporate executive Frieda Shimakeleni, IT officer Kondjeni Nghiwanapo, IT technician Paul Kayambu, acting corporate services and human resources practitioner Ashipala Kayambu and electrical services manager Johannes Nantuua.
In an update, chairperson of the management committee Sylvester Binga said council is still seized with the matter. This follows concerns that the matter had not been put to rest, with the suspended officials still receiving full pay.
“The community keeps on asking what the status of the matter into the municipality’s officials are. Some have been charged already and will appear in a disciplinary hearing. At the moment, the matter is still ongoing,” Binga said.
He added that a disciplinary hearing was planned for next week, but would not disclose what charges the employees are facing.
Politically motivated
Makili said service delivery had been affected because of the municipality’s actions against the officials.
“It is important to state that the applicants, targeted through unlawful suspensions, are all from one tribe. Furthermore, Gobabis being a small town, the applicants are known to be members of the ruling party.
According to him, no concrete reasons had been offered at the time of their suspensions.
“It is very clear - given the fact that no valid, rational and cogent reasons were given for the unlawful suspensions and the manner in which the suspensions were carried out, taking into account the background - that the suspensions are politically motivated and are, as a matter of fact, a campaign of victimisation and persecution of the applicants.”
Late Gobabis CEO Ignatius Thudinyane had in June 2019 released a report pointing to allegations that highly paid executives at the town were incompetent, disregarded him, lacked leadership skills and failed to detect the loss of millions.
The Gobabis municipality intends to officially charge employees who face corruption charges related to alleged nepotism and the awarding of dubious tenders, Namibian Sun understands.
Last year, the municipality placed six employees on suspension with full pay, namely finance executive Filemon Makili, corporate executive Frieda Shimakeleni, IT officer Kondjeni Nghiwanapo, IT technician Paul Kayambu, acting corporate services and human resources practitioner Ashipala Kayambu and electrical services manager Johannes Nantuua.
In an update, chairperson of the management committee Sylvester Binga said council is still seized with the matter. This follows concerns that the matter had not been put to rest, with the suspended officials still receiving full pay.
“The community keeps on asking what the status of the matter into the municipality’s officials are. Some have been charged already and will appear in a disciplinary hearing. At the moment, the matter is still ongoing,” Binga said.
He added that a disciplinary hearing was planned for next week, but would not disclose what charges the employees are facing.
Politically motivated
Makili said service delivery had been affected because of the municipality’s actions against the officials.
“It is important to state that the applicants, targeted through unlawful suspensions, are all from one tribe. Furthermore, Gobabis being a small town, the applicants are known to be members of the ruling party.
According to him, no concrete reasons had been offered at the time of their suspensions.
“It is very clear - given the fact that no valid, rational and cogent reasons were given for the unlawful suspensions and the manner in which the suspensions were carried out, taking into account the background - that the suspensions are politically motivated and are, as a matter of fact, a campaign of victimisation and persecution of the applicants.”
Late Gobabis CEO Ignatius Thudinyane had in June 2019 released a report pointing to allegations that highly paid executives at the town were incompetent, disregarded him, lacked leadership skills and failed to detect the loss of millions.
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