The management committee of the Gobabis municipality has approached the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over the promotion of Johannes Endyala from being a manager into an executive position.
He held the position of manager: infrastructure, property and technical services before being elevated to that of infrastructure, property and technical services’ executive.
ACC director general Paulus Noa confirmed the developments, as the committee chaired by Sylvester Binga has approached his office over the matter. “Yes, they were in my office on Friday to speak on various issues. Surely that’s one of the things they complained about, and I have asked them to file an official submission. I hope that they will to that,” Noa said yesterday upon enquiry.
Endyala was promoted to the position in September last year, despite then-CEO Ignatius Thudinyane having refused to sign off on the promotion.
Thudinyane died last month due to Covid-19 complications.
However, the new committee inaugurated in December last year after the local authority elections is of the opinion that the position should have been advertised externally instead of internally as in this case, as per the Local Authorities Act of 1992.
Also, the committee stated that Endyala only holds a national diploma in civil engineering from the University of Namibia (Unam), while such position requires a degree in electrical or civil engineering, or equivalent.
According to the Act, only vacancies for positions on the A to C bands must be advertised internally. However, the Act is not clear as to what should be done if vacancies arise on Patterson E1 on the first notch.
Documents seen by New Era show that in his new role on Patterson System E1 on the first notch, Endyala’s salary stands at N$474 535 per annum, with fringe benefits that include a 20% housing allowance if not owning a house, or 40% if owning a house. Other benefits include N$102 701 per year as car allowance, an N$800 per month cell phone allowance and a 13th cheque equal to one month’s salary, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the ACC last week arrested three Swapo councillors at the Oniipa Town Council in a similar case. A former local authority councillor who served as management committee chairperson, Thomas Matsi (72), current mayor David Kambonde (47), and his deputy Hileni Idhogela (43) were all charged with fraud.
The charges relate to a recruitment process allegedly undertaken in 2018, where the trio are accused of having favoured an individual who scored the lowest in interviews.
The accused served in the management committee of the previous council, whose term ended in November last year following the local and regional council elections. Kambonde and Idhogela were re-elected to serve for a second term and got elevated to mayor and deputy, respectively.
The three were charged under section 35 (3) (a) and section 35 (3) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act for using their office for self-gratification as well as providing a false document to an ACC agent. They are now out on bail. -ktjitemisa@nepc.com.na