Lahja Nashuuta
Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa wants to meet the leadership of the Gobabis Municipality today for an urgent intervention.
This follows a damning report by the Ombudsman that exposed severe governance failures, mismanagement, and internal strife within the local authority.
In a letter addressed to Gobabis mayor Melba Tjozongoro, Sankwasa outlined his intention to meet the municipal leadership to discuss “allegations of irregularities, poor governance, and management shortcomings” that have reportedly crippled the municipality’s operations.
“I will, therefore, be visiting the municipality on Monday, 28 July 2025, to familiarise myself with the operations of your institution, particularly related to financial and human resources management matters,” the letter reads.
The scathing report by the Ombudsman, Basilius Dyakugha, dated 21 May 2025 concluded that Gobabis has degenerated into a state of lawlessness. The report paints a grim picture of a municipality plagued by administrative chaos, arbitrary decision-making, internal divisions, and widespread victimisation.
The report catalogues a series of governance failures. Among the most serious is the unlawful allocation of Farm Nuwehoop, a 250-hectare piece of land, free of charge to Omaheke governor without council approval.
It also highlights more than N$105 million in unpaid debts to NamPower and NamWater and the failure to produce audited financial statements since 2020.
“Without swift intervention, the institution risks further deterioration, placing service delivery at serious risk,” the Ombudsman cautioned.
Other concerning findings include the return of N$3.5 million in Road Fund Administration (RFA) and capital project funds due to poor project management, as well as alleged maladministration of a N$112 million government capital grant.
Exorbitant and unjustified overtime payments aggravated by a lack of oversight by CEO Sophia Eises were also flagged.
Service delivery has reportedly collapsed, with 90% of the town’s street lights non-functional, leaving Gobabis in darkness.
A major flashpoint detailed in the report is the controversial removal of Councillor Isak de Beer from his position as chairperson of the Management Committee. The Ombudsman found the motion of no confidence that led to his removal to be procedurally flawed and discriminatory.
Illegal appointments and procedural lapses
The Ombudsman also revealed that the position of head of procurement was created and filled without the necessary approval from the ministry and in violation of established recruitment procedures.
“There was absolutely no compliance with Rule 7 and 8 of the recruitment regulations,” Dyakugha noted, warning that such disregard for the law could result in injustice to the newly appointed official and further erode institutional trust.
Regarding alleged interference in disciplinary matters, the report found that the CEO (Eises) unilaterally postponed a disciplinary hearing against the strategic executive for human resources, Frieda Shimakeleni, citing budgetary constraints. The Ombudsman ruled that this move exceeded the CEO’s legal authority.
The report also exposed a toxic institutional culture where many municipal employees reported harassment or victimisation after participating in or being associated with disciplinary proceedings.
-lnashuuta@nepc.com.na