Kuzeeko Tjitemisa
WINDHOEK – Minister of Public Enterprises, Leon Jooste, yesterday confirmed to New Era that there are seven candidates shortlisted for the position of chief executive officer at Meatco.
Meatco has been without a substantive CEO since the suspension and subsequent resignation of Advocate Vekuii Rukoro mid-last year.
Jooste yesterday briefly told New Era that seven candidates were shortlisted and four candidates have already been interviewed and the remaining three will be interview next week Tuesday.
He said he is unable to share the names of those shortlisted, as this is still a confidential process.
However, New Era understands that those shortlisted for interviews include Meatco executive for livestock procurement Vehaka Tjimune, Meatco senior IT manager Louis Becker, a certain Andre Snyman and the founding CEO of the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology Dr Eino Emvula, who is currently the chief operations officer at Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund.
“I can also not tell you how many females or males are shortlisted as we are not involved in the process,” said Jooste when asked about gender parity in the process.
Earlier this year, Meatco announced in a statement that it has appointed Jannie Breytenbach as the new acting CEO. Breytenbach replaces Ingo Schneider, who was acting in that position since the suspension of Rukoro in May last year. Rukoro’s suspension following a lengthy collision course with the company’s board of directors.
The board in May last year sent Rukoro on forced leave pending an investigation over allegations of administrative decisions that included appointments of agents and decisions that led to the company losing a lot of money. Rukoro and Meatco later agreed to a N$3 million separation package.