Windhoek
A last minute agreement between the wife of the late chief of the Ovambanderu Munjuku Nguvauva – Aletha Nguvauva – and the Ovambanderu Traditional Council avoided an urgent hearing in the Windhoek High Court on Friday.
Aletha Nguvauva, who planned to hold “meetings” at the burial grounds of the Ovambanderu last weekend, agreed to stop her planned visit to the grave of her late husband after an agreement was reached between her and the traditional authority leaders ahead of the court case.
According to the agreement Nguvauva will not go ahead with her planned commemorations at the “sacred grounds of the Ovambanderu” at Erf 548, Kahimemua Avenue in Okahandja from June 3 to June 5, 2016.
It was further agreed that a hearing on the merits of the case will be scheduled for June 10 in the High Court. The respondent (Aletha Nguvauva) will submit their papers on or before June 8 and the applicants (Ovambanderu Traditional Authority) before or on June 10.
Judge Collins Parker made the agreement an order of the court.
The matter came before court after Nguvauva allegedly visited her late husband’s grave and laid a wreath during the weekend of May 28 and 29. According to an affidavit by the traditional authority this is highly irregular and non-traditional, as certain ceremonies have to be completed before the site can be visited.
The affidavit further read that the actions of Nguvauva angered the ancestors of the Ovambanderu people and has resulted in various vehicle accidents involving the Ovambanderu. The traditional authority further accused Nguvauva of not asking for the consent of the authority and of unilaterally breaking the lock at the gravesite.
According to them nobody is allowed at the site, aside from the commemorations that are held yearly around the date of June 12. Nguvauva allegedly decided arbitrarily and without the consent of the traditional authority to hold commemorations during the weekend of June 3 to 5.
This is what prompted the council to approach the court on an urgent basis. They asked the court to interdict Nguvauva and or any other person from carrying out the planned commemoration and from entering the grave site.
They also asked the court to interdict or restrain any person from conducting the annual commemorations on any weekend other than a weekend before June 12, 2016, as well as an order authorising the police to stop any person from entering the holy gravesite at Okahandja.
Elize Angula represented the traditional authority and Doris Hans-Kaumbi acted on behalf of Nguvauva.