Farmers demand Meatco board quit

The contested Meatco board called a last-minute halt to a Friday meeting, stating that a number proposed resolutions drafted by Meatco members were illegal and not within the scope of the Meatco Act.

Late on Thursday afternoon, Meatco board chairperson Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun stated in a press release that “the meeting cannot be held in that the provisions of the Meatco Act have not been complied with”.

She specifically cited three resolutions proposed by Meatco members that questioned the legality of the board and demanded the resignation of the directors of the board as well as a review of the Meatco Act.

Namundjebo-Tilahun said the proposed resolutions to be tabled by Meatco members for consideration and approval were problematic and illegal. She said Meatco members “do not have the power to require board members to resign” and said that only the courts would be able to decide whether their appointment was legal.





She added that in order to “avoid a repeat” of the heated 31st annual general meeting, during which police were called to subdue protests by farmers opposing the board's appointment, members had to submit their motions no later than 21 days prior to the meeting, as well as ensure that at least 50 members requested the meeting in writing.



The media release noted that in respect of resolution one, members “are at liberty to express their views” on the appointment of the board of directors, but “the members do not have the powers to decide whether an appointment of directors is valid in law, as this would be a matter for the courts to decide.”

She added that “passing a resolution that the board has not been properly constituted, does not have any legal binding effect.”

In response to the second resolution calling on the board members to resign, the chairperson said that “the power to remove directors is regulated by the Meatco Act and vests in the minister.”

Moreover, board members alone had the mandate to decide to resign if a motion calling for their resignation was adopted.

In respect of resolution three and four, Namundjebo-Tilahun explained that the process of amending the Meatco Act “would need to be commenced with the minister.”

She added that members could, however, resolve to approach the ministry in regard to certain issues.

She added that the “operational issues which were raised by [members] are matters that the board would be empowered to decide on and not its members.”

The media released further stated that the board and Meatco management had taken note of the operational issues raised and these would be addressed “insofar as these requests are considered equitable and in the best interest of Meatco.”