Windhoek

Suspended Maltahöhe Village Council chief executive officer, Eliphas ‘Aupapa’ Shipanga, pocketed more than N$864 000 for two years seated at home doing nothing.

Shipanga, who earns slightly more than N$36 000 a month that includes allowances, was suspended on full pay on May 18 2013 by the village council board – for alleged insubordination and other alleged malpractices. At the time he vehemently dismissed the allegations that he misappropriated council funds.

Shipanga currently lives in a council house but he refuses to pay rent despite the fact council pays him a monthly allowance of N$6 125, sources within the village council told New Era.

Last month President Hage Geingob expressed concern about the huge amount of money the government spends paying both suspended acting managing directors and chief executive officers, most of whom have been on suspension for years. Geingob strongly feels government could save a lot of money if it cuts public spending and called on the public to come up with ideas that would assist government to implement a workable solution to this recurrent problem involving scores of CEOs and MDs who are on suspension with full pay nd benefits.

Speaking to New Era yesterday, Shipanga confirmed he was still on full-pay suspension saying that the whole saga is frustrating him since his life is now on hold.

“My life has been put on hold, there is nothing I want more than this issue to end so that I can continue with my life,” said Shipanga.

The Governor of Hardap Region, Esme Isaack, said he could not comment on the issue since it did not happen during his term.

“I cannot comment, I am not yet briefed on the matter, I am sorry,” she said.

Maltahöhe Village Council chairperson Markus Saal said the council was still waiting to hear from the council’s lawyer Clement Daniels to brief them on progress regarding the case.

Daniels was unavailable for comment as his phone went unanswered.

The Director of Regional, Local and Traditional Authority in the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, Lameck Ujepa, yesterday referred all queries to the village council.

“Please contact Maltahöhe Village Council. They are the employers of Mr Shipanga,” he said.