Ondangwa mayor Paavo Amweele has denied owning three erven in the town’s Onatsi informal settlement, which is meant for low-income earners.
Amweele last week stated that those accusing him of owning plots want to ruin his reputation as well as the ongoing investigations of the suspended employees for allegedly selling residential plots in that area.
When New Era visited the area, some residents said they were told that erven 493, 494, and 131 belong to the mayor of Ondangwa.
“I don’t have a plot there. What do I do with it? It has been said before. It is not only me, but other council employees as well, but it is not true. I don’t have land there. I only have one plot in Ondangwa, which I got before I became mayor,” he said.
Amweele indicated that this only came up after the three employees – Antonius Donatiu,s a plumber; Lukas Kristian, a general worker, and Kaino Shikongo, a senior clerk – were suspended three months ago for allegedly selling residential plots at Onatsi.
He said when the council pleaded with individuals who bought plots from the suspended trio to report it to the town council, people started flocking to their offices and reporting plots that were illegally sold by the involved officials.
Council is thus investigating more than four plots which were sold illegally, and reported with concrete evidence.
“We are just doing our work. If employees committed a crime, action should be taken, and that is what we have done. They are saying their suspension is politically-motivated because they are members of the Independent Patriots for Change, which I did not know. It does not work like that,” he explained.
Amweele added that the council is nearly finished with the investigations.
One of the suspended employees, Kristian, said he has been on suspension for over three months, and nothing has been resolved.
“I still don’t understand why I am suspended, because I am not involved in any plots’ theft,” he countered.
Clemens Ndinoshinge, a foreman at James and Young Trading Enterprises, said they are temporarily residing on these two plots, 493 and 494, which are together.
“As a company, we have formally requested for a place to stay around Ondangwa, and we were brought here by a town council employee,” he added.
He explained that they were told not to pay anything since they are just there temporarily, and the plots indeed belong to the town council.
Ndinoshinge further said they were nonetheless told that people are saying the plots belong to the mayor.
One of the Onatsi committee members, Sackaria Shiyela, said he was also told that these erven belong to Amweele.
“I don’t know how true it is, but that’s what people are saying,” he added.
Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said everyone in their location knows that these plots belong to the mayor of Ondangwa.
“If people are lying, the council must clarify on whose names these plots are registered,” he reasoned.
Ondangwa town council spokesperson Petrina Shitalangaho said these plots belong to different people, and it is registered on their names, “but we cannot reveal their names now, as we have to ask them first”.
She added that council wishes to clearly state that one of the three staff members who is making such allegations is suspended for gross misconduct involving soliciting bribes from community members in exchange for plots which are supposedly and procedurally given for free.
“Furthermore, one of the suspended staff members was directly in charge and entrusted with administering the informal areas, and it is not correct nor right for the council to allow the latter.
The council records do not show the mayor having plots as per the letter in circulation”.
She further said the letter is devoid of any truth, but aimed at diverting the investigation that is being conducted against the suspended officials, and aimed at putting the council’s name and that of the mayor into disrepute.
– vkaapanda@nepc.com.na