Hangala lashes 'educated fools'
The well-known businessman has urged political parties to nominate town council candidates who are the very best and brightest.
Hangala Group executive chairman Leake Hangala says political parties should nominate wise candidates to serve on local authority councils, instead of the “educated fools” he has observed thus far.
Hangala, a former NamPower managing director, made this remark on Saturday at the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF) fundraising gala dinner, where he was the guest speaker.
“Merit and competency are thus indispensable components of good governance at all levels, beginning at the top. I would thus urge our political parties to nominate candidates for town councils who are the very best and brightest,” Hangala said.
“By best and brightest I do not mean necessarily the best educated, as I have seen so many educated fools.”
Hangala said if it was up to the masses to decide who should be nominated and serve as councillors, they would go for wise leaders, instead of a clever ones, adding the combination of the two is the best option.
Hangala also took on technocrats in local authorities, particularly CEOs, who he confidently accused of not serving the interests of the public, saying they are rather enriching themselves with the available resources.
Without mentioning the names of the culprits, Hangala added the dishonest acts of CEOs should come to an end.
“Councillors and directors become disappointed when they appoint some of us into CEO positions, as we appear well-educated, energetic and experienced, but to our disappointment, and that of the whole nation, our first deed as CEOs is to steal and manipulate the resources of the organisations entrusted in our hands,” Hangala said.
“Such betrayal of trust must stop.”
Hangala also spoke about a variety of issues, such as poverty, the economy, leadership disputes and the importance of government and business partnerships.
The OATF gala dinner raised about N$920 000, with MTC pledging N$350 000.
MTCs pledged N$150 000 in cash and N$200 000 in kind.
This year's OATF will take place under the theme 'Creating an enabling environment for an industrialised local economy'.
The OATF will start on 24 August and ends on 1 September.
KENYA KAMBOWE
Hangala, a former NamPower managing director, made this remark on Saturday at the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF) fundraising gala dinner, where he was the guest speaker.
“Merit and competency are thus indispensable components of good governance at all levels, beginning at the top. I would thus urge our political parties to nominate candidates for town councils who are the very best and brightest,” Hangala said.
“By best and brightest I do not mean necessarily the best educated, as I have seen so many educated fools.”
Hangala said if it was up to the masses to decide who should be nominated and serve as councillors, they would go for wise leaders, instead of a clever ones, adding the combination of the two is the best option.
Hangala also took on technocrats in local authorities, particularly CEOs, who he confidently accused of not serving the interests of the public, saying they are rather enriching themselves with the available resources.
Without mentioning the names of the culprits, Hangala added the dishonest acts of CEOs should come to an end.
“Councillors and directors become disappointed when they appoint some of us into CEO positions, as we appear well-educated, energetic and experienced, but to our disappointment, and that of the whole nation, our first deed as CEOs is to steal and manipulate the resources of the organisations entrusted in our hands,” Hangala said.
“Such betrayal of trust must stop.”
Hangala also spoke about a variety of issues, such as poverty, the economy, leadership disputes and the importance of government and business partnerships.
The OATF gala dinner raised about N$920 000, with MTC pledging N$350 000.
MTCs pledged N$150 000 in cash and N$200 000 in kind.
This year's OATF will take place under the theme 'Creating an enabling environment for an industrialised local economy'.
The OATF will start on 24 August and ends on 1 September.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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