Report exposes rot at Grootfontein
A forensic report details how poor relations between councillors, managers and staff members is perpetuating poor service delivery and productivity at the town.
Kenya Kambowe
RUNDU
Grootfontein municipality politicians, staff members and their cronies have been helping themselves to acres of land and scoring lucrative tenders while the municipality falls apart, a ministerial forensic investigation revealed.
The report, which Namibian Sun stumbled upon, also details how poor relations between councillors, managers and staff members is perpetuating poor service delivery and productivity and how plots were confiscated from owners and transferred to municipal workers.
The urban and rural development ministry carried out an investigation into alleged maladministration and irregularities at the municipality from 11 to 29 March 2019.
The probe focused on areas such as administration of human resources, land sales and related matters, financial management and controls as well as implementation of capital projects.
Land deals
When the Grootfontein municipality sought ministerial approval to go on tender for the sale of land in Luiperdheuwel Extension 2 and Omulunga Extension 4 in 2013 - which was granted -the council instead abandoned the tender process after opting to sell the land using the ‘Median’ method.
Municipal sources said the application sought from the ministry was just a smokescreen to get the approval but “the plan has always been to use the median method to control who gets land”.
Questioned about the diversion, the then acting CEO, Arnold Ameb, allegedly told the investigation team that he was verbally informed by an official in the ministry to send a list of names of applicants before approval could be granted.
The report also pointed out how the ‘median’ method used by the Local Tender Board did not benefit the council in that the highest bidders for erven were not necessarily the ones offered the land, but rather someone who bid lower and not in the position to pay a deposit within 21 working days.
The report pointed out how the Grootfontein finance department would, after 21 days of non-payment of the deposit, then repossess the erven and re-allocate them to second bidders, who are council staff members, associates, business persons or councillors.
“The second bidders would ensure that they pay 20% of the purchase price and build up to a certain level so as to comply with the condition set up by the council. The sale will then be concluded by the council lawyers with the power of attorney signed by the chairperson of the management committee and the acting CEO without ministerial approval,” the report exposed.
Parallel transfer
The report concluded that the allocation of land by way of private treaty system has led to corruption as people who did not have ministerial approval ended up registering the properties and building houses.
Despite having the names of those whose plots were revoked and those who replaced them, Namibian Sun could not verify the council staff members who benefitted as the municipality’s website is not operational.
Meanwhile, investigators found that the spouse of a council staff member landed a contract to construct houses at the town.
One of the report’s recommendations is that council must consider a parallel transfer of Serrin Shetukana from the property office with immediate effect. It is alleged that Shetukana is married to a developer who constructs houses in Grootfontein and this led to conflict of interest.
Attempts to get comment from Grootfontein CEO Kisco Sinvula proved futile and questions forwarded to the spokesperson yielded no response either.
[email protected]
RUNDU
Grootfontein municipality politicians, staff members and their cronies have been helping themselves to acres of land and scoring lucrative tenders while the municipality falls apart, a ministerial forensic investigation revealed.
The report, which Namibian Sun stumbled upon, also details how poor relations between councillors, managers and staff members is perpetuating poor service delivery and productivity and how plots were confiscated from owners and transferred to municipal workers.
The urban and rural development ministry carried out an investigation into alleged maladministration and irregularities at the municipality from 11 to 29 March 2019.
The probe focused on areas such as administration of human resources, land sales and related matters, financial management and controls as well as implementation of capital projects.
Land deals
When the Grootfontein municipality sought ministerial approval to go on tender for the sale of land in Luiperdheuwel Extension 2 and Omulunga Extension 4 in 2013 - which was granted -the council instead abandoned the tender process after opting to sell the land using the ‘Median’ method.
Municipal sources said the application sought from the ministry was just a smokescreen to get the approval but “the plan has always been to use the median method to control who gets land”.
Questioned about the diversion, the then acting CEO, Arnold Ameb, allegedly told the investigation team that he was verbally informed by an official in the ministry to send a list of names of applicants before approval could be granted.
The report also pointed out how the ‘median’ method used by the Local Tender Board did not benefit the council in that the highest bidders for erven were not necessarily the ones offered the land, but rather someone who bid lower and not in the position to pay a deposit within 21 working days.
The report pointed out how the Grootfontein finance department would, after 21 days of non-payment of the deposit, then repossess the erven and re-allocate them to second bidders, who are council staff members, associates, business persons or councillors.
“The second bidders would ensure that they pay 20% of the purchase price and build up to a certain level so as to comply with the condition set up by the council. The sale will then be concluded by the council lawyers with the power of attorney signed by the chairperson of the management committee and the acting CEO without ministerial approval,” the report exposed.
Parallel transfer
The report concluded that the allocation of land by way of private treaty system has led to corruption as people who did not have ministerial approval ended up registering the properties and building houses.
Despite having the names of those whose plots were revoked and those who replaced them, Namibian Sun could not verify the council staff members who benefitted as the municipality’s website is not operational.
Meanwhile, investigators found that the spouse of a council staff member landed a contract to construct houses at the town.
One of the report’s recommendations is that council must consider a parallel transfer of Serrin Shetukana from the property office with immediate effect. It is alleged that Shetukana is married to a developer who constructs houses in Grootfontein and this led to conflict of interest.
Attempts to get comment from Grootfontein CEO Kisco Sinvula proved futile and questions forwarded to the spokesperson yielded no response either.
[email protected]
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