Naanda’s exit mired in controversy

The board of TransNamib last Thursday (28 April) in a statement said the relationship between the parastatal and former chief executive officer Sara Naanda was “amicably terminated.”
It stated that both parties have decided “not to pursue and continue with the suspension and disciplinary hearing” against Naanda.
“Ms Naanda is, therefore, in view of the settlement agreement reached between the parties, cleared of the disciplinary process and all charges levelled against her are unconditionally withdrawn. The irreparable pain and damage caused to her good name and reputation is deeply regrettable. Ms Naanda’s employment record with TransNamib is left untarnished as a result of the withdrawal of all charges,” part the statement read.
Shortly before the statement was issued, in a matter of minutes, an email sent anonymously claimed that it was an “outright lie” that the new board wanted to settle with Naanda and that TransNamib’s assertion that the matter with Naanda is now concluded is “being used to mislead the public and cover up the fact that Naanda was found guilty on all charges brought against her.”
“Surprisingly, although Naanda was informed in early 2016 that she was found guilty and that the recommendation was dismissal, she never appealed the ruling,” the anonymous source stated.
This source further claimed that Naanda was paid out “almost N$10 million because all the charges are allegedly going to be withdrawn.”
“This is an outrage because paying out millions to Naanda is nothing but theft of the taxpayers’ hard-earned money. But rumour also has it that the millions to be paid were forced through because large chunks are going to land in other pockets,” the source alleges.
Vice-board chairperson of TransNamib, Elize Angula, denied that Naanda was paid out N$10 million or any amount close to that. Angula also denied claims that she is a close friend of Naanda, as is alleged.
Attached to the anonymous email were the legal documents of the disciplinary proceedings against Naanda and a judgement reached already on 25 September last year.
According to one document, a recommendation on sanction was reached and Naanda on 18 January was found guilty on two charges, which encompassed seven sub-charges.
A former and current board member of TransNamib, Dantagos Jimmy-Melanie, had testified that the charges against Naanda were “extremely serious” because Naanda was in a position of trust at a parastatal that is of strategic importance to the Namibian economy.
This document charged that Naanda’s actions have “financially and reputational damaged the company”.
Jimmy-Melanie had also recommended that Naanda be dismissed.
Naanda was suspended on 30 October 2014, barely three months after a new board of directors under the chairpersonship of Dr Pieter Oosthuizen was appointed. Jimmy-Melanie was also on this board before she was reappointed to serve on the new board.
The allegations against Naanda were breach of confidentiality obligations, conflict of interest and breach of trust.
She was accused of having shared the content of a letter meant for then Minister of Works and Transport, Erkki Nghimtina, with her partner Augustinus Katiti.
The letter related to lease or joint ventures with private companies. In the judgement it was stated that Katiti was a client of TransNamib through his interests in Beauhomes, which had a long-term lease with the parastatal.
According to evidence given by Struggle Ihuhua, as the executive manager of properties, Naanda was actively involved in the termination of the lease agreement between TransNamib and Beauhomes “resulting in a termination letter which potentially favours” Katiti “to the detriment” of TransNamib.
Naanda’s legal representative, Richard Metcalfe, had argued that the disciplinary process started against her “stemmed from a conflict engineered on specious grounds by the previous board of directors”.

Catherine Sasman