Windhoek
Cabinet has approved the appointment of former Swapo parliamentarian Paul Smit to the chairmanship of the board of cash-strapped Transnamib Holdings. Information Minister Tjekero Tweya announced Smit’s appointment at a media briefing yesterday on Cabinet decisions taken on Tuesday.
Smit will have a mammoth task on his hands to turn around the fortunes of the beleaguered parastatal that has been inundated with claims of bad management over the years and that constantly knocks on government’s doors for bail-outs. Infighting within the board has also severely tarnished Transnamib’s image over the years.
He will be joined by Elize Angula (vice chairperson), Jantjie Duan, Michael Ochurub, Wiseman Molatzi and Dantagos Naomi Jimmy-Melani. Smit previously served in government as the deputy minister of agriculture, water and forestry.
Cabinet also approved the appointment of Fritz Jacobs as chairperson of the Roads Contractor Company (RCC), another parastatal that is financially crippled. Anna Matebele (vice chairperson), Elzevir Gelderbloem, Elsie Skrywer and Melkizedek Uupindi are the other RCC board members.
Both boards will first and foremost be expected to come up with sound strategies that can yield the desired results when it comes to improving the financial position of both companies.
During the tabling of the mid-term budget review on Tuesday, government allocated N$291 million to Transnamib for the leasing of locomotives. The dilapidated national railway is another major challenge awaiting the new board, with their predecessor having announced that the railway entity would need close to N$1 billion to rehabilitate railway lines across the country.