WINDHOEK – The Minister of Rural and Urban Development, Sophia Shaningwa has dismissed allegations that the suspension of Omaruru councillors was politically motivated to prevent the opposition from running the town council.
Shaningwa was responding to questions raised by Nudo parliamentarian Meundju Jahanika last week regarding the suspension of the municipal council of Omaruru in December 2013. The councillors are still on suspension.
Shaningwa dismissed the allegations that the suspension was politically motivated to prevent the opposition coalition from running Omaruru, saying, “My response to this is a big no.”
She pointed out that this is not the case because three of the suspended seven councillors are Swapo Party councillors and there is no way the ministry could work against the interests of the ruling party.
As to whether or not the suspended council properly ran the town council, Shaningwa said, “I would say let us wait for the findings of the investigation. But for sure, the numerous serious allegations, complaints and other factors that were considered and necessitated the suspension and investigation suggest that all was not well in Omaruru under the suspended council.”
She noted that the suspension of the council was a last resort after the minister had exhausted all possible avenues to get the council on course.
As an interim measure, the former minister (Retired) Major General Charles Namoloh appointed the former chief regional officer of the Erongo Region, Linus //Garoeb as the minister’s representative to fill the vacuum left by the suspension.
With the assistance of the Office of the Auditor General, the minister enlisted the services of PricewaterhouseCoopers to carry out a forensic investigation, which started in June last year.
Shaningwa said due to various challenges, especially difficulties in accessing supporting documentary proof, the audit took longer than anticipated and the consultants could only present their first report to the ministry in December 2014.
She also revealed she has received the latest report, which she is studying and should finalise as “expeditiously possible”.
Asked why Namoloh was not happy with forensic audited report, which was conducted by a professional audit firm, Shaningwa said the purpose of the investigation is not to make the minister “happy”, but to provide information that adequately addresses the agreed scope and deliveries of the investigation and enables the minister to make an informed decision.
Jahanika also wanted to know what the timeframe is for the minister authorised in accordance with Local Authority Act of 1992 as amended to suspend councillors.
In this regard, Shaningwa said the Local Authority Act has not stipulated a specific timeframe in respect of the suspension of councillors by the minster.
She said the length of the suspension would depend on the nature and extent of issues to be investigated, among others, the severity of the identified or suspended transgressions and the availability of the records and the parties who have and are required to be interviewed to provide evidence.
Equally, Shaningwa had no kind words for Okahandja town council on land sales, saying, the council has to provide an explanation.
It came to the fore that Okahandja town council sold more erven, both serviced and unserviced, than the few that the minister approved during the 2011/12 financial year.
She questioned the land sales of five industrial plots of Fist Wall Property for N$1.6 million, four industrial plots to Popular Bricks Investments for N$837 650 and 4 458 hectares sold as business plots to Orban Investment.
“The Council of Okahandja has to provide me with an explanation of this. I sent my officials to Okahandja to obtain documents from the municipality to prove that all land sale transactions that it has indicated in the report to me have been approved by the minister as required by law. I will definitely get to the bottom of this,” she warned.