KEETMANSHOOP – The lack of a management committee has made governance and the implementation of capital projects impossible at the //Kharas Regional Council.
Acting chief regional officer (CRO) Benedictus Diergaardt, who has been acting in the position for two years, told Nampa on Tuesday that the running of the regional council heavily relies on the management committee and without it, administrators cannot execute their work effectively.
“Everything must go through the management committee for approval. For development projects, the proposals come from settlement development committees, then to the regional development coordination committee, and lastly to council for fund approval. So, right now, no new projects can be approved,” he stated.
The KRC has been without a management committee since last June after the four Landless People’s Movement and three Swapo councillors failed to elect two members for the MC to join the chairperson, LPM’s Joseph Isaacks, during the re-election of office-bearers.
Diergaardt said the last time the council submitted financial statements to the Auditor General (AG) was for the 2019/2020 financial statements.
Financial statements cannot be submitted to the AG because they need to be presented to the MC, then the council, before being submitted to the AG for an opinion.
“With the absence of the AG’s opinion, we cannot establish what financial situation we are in. We also cannot determine if we are effective in delivering development. We are not sure if we are carrying out our mandate, which is to bring development to the people of this region,” Diergaardt emphasised. The allocation of land for development can likewise not take place.
“Even this morning, I got a call from someone who wants to acquire land for development purposes. That process can also not go forward,” he reiterated.
He was however, quick to point out that construction projects that already started before the impasse are continuing.
Regional councils are subsidised by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, while they also collect money through their settlement offices by providing services to residents in those settlements.
When asked how council manages to have an approved budget, Diergaardt said: “For us to have the budget approval, we call a special council meeting.
During such a meeting, the management committee is not really needed, so the budget can be approved through that special meeting.”
The acting CRO said he will seek the intervention of the responsible ministry on the way forward regarding the recent suspension of the three Swapo councillors.
Last week, council suspended Oranjemund constituency councillor Lazarus Nangolo, Karasburg West constituency councillor Taimi Kanyemba, and !Nami#Nûs constituency councillor Susan Ndjaleka.
“As much as it is politics, the people affected by this whole situation are those on the ground, as development is not coming to them. It does not matter from which constituency, everyone is impacted, so the councillors elected by these people should ensure they deliver the services,” added Diergaardt. -Nampa