Can we see some action?
Qualified audits. This is all we see in every single auditor-general report on town councils and regional councils across the country. Most recently, the Omaheke Regional Council received a qualified audit result with the possibility of fraudulent activity. Year after year, the reports are the same, in particular for the smaller towns in Namibia.
We all know that they are falling apart. Places like Maltahöhe, where not too long ago, residents fed unemployed people to fill the raging potholes in the streets with a mixture of sand and cement. Towns where millions are owed to NamPower and NamWater. Towns where there are no jobs, schools are falling apart and even the town's church is in dire need of repair.
Some of these places even dare to hold expos looking for investment. But there is no sanitation, no development, and no vibrancy, save the service stations on the main route, if of course the place is at all on any main route in the country. Shanty towns grow, shebeens mushroom and qualified audits are delivered.
Have we ever seen any consequence to these qualified audits? Are there any investigations? Does the line minister have any disciplinary code to deal with town councils that are pillaging resources and committing fraud? Not one. We know of a few probes by the Anti-Corruption Commission, in Maltahöhe and of course, Minister Sophia Shaningwa 'stepping in' at Rehoboth. But nothing has happened in either place and the persons who are suspected of behaving irregularly, are still in office. A good thing we suppose otherwise they may be suspended to enjoy extended leave of more than a year on full pay and benefits.
It is time for accountability. It is time that public servants begin to realise that that is precisely what they are. Servants. Working with other people's money. Not theirs. They are there to serve the ratepayers and the town or village in which they live.
When will we see some action in this regard? Windhoek is overcrowded with job seekers and squatters because other places in this country are dead-end towns with nothing to offer save possibly, a little garden work every second Sunday or so.
Accountability is key.
We all know that they are falling apart. Places like Maltahöhe, where not too long ago, residents fed unemployed people to fill the raging potholes in the streets with a mixture of sand and cement. Towns where millions are owed to NamPower and NamWater. Towns where there are no jobs, schools are falling apart and even the town's church is in dire need of repair.
Some of these places even dare to hold expos looking for investment. But there is no sanitation, no development, and no vibrancy, save the service stations on the main route, if of course the place is at all on any main route in the country. Shanty towns grow, shebeens mushroom and qualified audits are delivered.
Have we ever seen any consequence to these qualified audits? Are there any investigations? Does the line minister have any disciplinary code to deal with town councils that are pillaging resources and committing fraud? Not one. We know of a few probes by the Anti-Corruption Commission, in Maltahöhe and of course, Minister Sophia Shaningwa 'stepping in' at Rehoboth. But nothing has happened in either place and the persons who are suspected of behaving irregularly, are still in office. A good thing we suppose otherwise they may be suspended to enjoy extended leave of more than a year on full pay and benefits.
It is time for accountability. It is time that public servants begin to realise that that is precisely what they are. Servants. Working with other people's money. Not theirs. They are there to serve the ratepayers and the town or village in which they live.
When will we see some action in this regard? Windhoek is overcrowded with job seekers and squatters because other places in this country are dead-end towns with nothing to offer save possibly, a little garden work every second Sunday or so.
Accountability is key.
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Namibian Sun
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