Fifteen out of 52 local authorities and three regional councils do not have substantive CEOs and chief regional officers due to what is becoming a disturbing trend of unprocedural appointments and suspensions.

Urban and Rural Development deputy minister Natalia /Goagoses yesterday told New Era that cases of unprocedural appointments and suspensions of CROs and CEOs are a great concern.

 She said it is not acceptable for local authorities to operate without CEOs for many years, as it may negatively affect the council’s service delivery efforts, inter alia the execution of council decisions and implementation of capital projects.

Municipalities that do not currently have CEOs are the major economic centres of Windhoek and Walvis Bay. 

In addition, five town councils are steering their ships without substantive leaders. 

They are Aranos, Usakos,  Luderitz, Omuthiya and Oranjemund town councils as well as eight village councils, namely Kalkrand, Bethanie, Maltahohe, Gibeon, Koes, Witvlei, Stampriet and Bukalo. 

“The issue of non-filling of the vacancy of CEOs at all above-listed is a serious concern, and the ministry continues to urge and assist local authorities to address this issue in the shortest possible time,” /Goagoses said. 

She noted the ministry has already directed the applicable local authorities to finalise their recruitment processes, and most of the entities have advertised the positions. 

 The deputy minister explained that in the case of Windhoek, the entire process has been delayed due to substantial leadership vacuums (election of office-bearers)  at the council. 

The deputy minister acknowledged that after information-sharing sessions and cases of such nature have been reduced, the ministry continues to monitor and provide oversight to avoid or deal with similar occurrences.

However, the CRO of //Kharas Regional Council is still on suspension, as well as the CEO of Grootfontein municipality, two strategic executives, two managers and IT technicians at the Gobabis municipality. 

Moreover, the finance manager at Tsumeb municipality and two strategic executives at Keetmanshop are also still on suspension. 

According to the deputy minister, all these local authorities have been urged to finalise their cases as a matter of urgency.

Meanwhile, the regional councils in Erongo, Hardap and //Kharas still do not have substantive CROs.

According to the ministry, Erongo Regional Council‘s CRO tendered her resignation in September 2022, and the position has been advertised.

Hardap also does not have a CRO due to a pending recruitment process that involves a labour case between the recommended candidate and the council.

For //Kharas, the CRO is on suspension, and his disciplinary hearing is still pending. 

- ljason@nepc.com.na