Iuze Mukube
One of the accused persons in the Namcor corruption case, Cedric Willemse, yesterday told the court the notion by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that he acquired his private properties using Namcor funds was baseless and without merit.
Willemse’s exact words were that the claim was “ludicrous” as there is proof he financed his properties – especially movable ones – through the bank.
The former Namcor logistics and supply manager recounted his personal circumstances, ranging from family background to his professional history.
He said he holds dual citizenship [Namibian and South African], has three adult children – one aged 29 and twins aged 20. He said he was born in Keetmanshop but was raised in Upington, South Africa.
In 1991, he moved to Namibia for work but was awarded a scholarship by the then Consolidated Diamond Mines (now-Namdeb) and went back to study in Cape Town, South Africa.
In 1995 he got a retrenchment package from Namdeb and left for South Africa and got married in 1996 to his now ex-wife.
In South Africa, he gained experience in the oil and gas industry specifically the downstream petroleum sector, and worked for companies like BP South Africa for many years and did some businesses.
He returned to Namibia in 2006 and has never returned to South Africa and considers the Namibia his permanent place of residence.
He studied at Capitec acquiring a diploma in written business management, and then worked for CDM.
Willemse has an advanced diploma in oil exploration from London [UK] and another for project management programme and management development programme, both from Stellenbosch University and did other short courses during his career in the oil and gas industry.
He says he has always been an entrepreneur and opened various businesses prior to his return to Namibia including a nightclub, two sport bars, three butcheries, and a bottle store.
He stated these assets were all obtained prior to 2006 and before he started working for Namcor.
He worked for BP Namibia as a consultant around 2007-2008 and worked for Eros Fuel Service as a general manager and joined Namcor in 2008 as a logistics and depot manager.
He then left Namcor in 2011 and started working at a zinc mine [Scorpion Zinc) as a logistics manager at Rosh Pinah in 2012.
Then fast forward to 2016, he left for Walvis Bay and started working as a country manager for APM Terminals for less than a year and then as a manager at Engen Namibia until 2018.
Willemse said he never begged to work for Namcor as speculated but rather that it was the oil company which approached him due to his vast expertise in the oil industry.
The businessman told the court his current income comes from his farming business, and from selling alkaline water, meat [sausages] and fish to informal markets.
He added that he owns a block of flats but is being prejudiced as a tenant is refusing to pay rent saying he obtained the flat fraudulently.
He argued that the flats were obtained way before 2016 before he joined Namcor as he was working at Scorpion Zinc at the time.
He also mentioned his three farms, one which he brought in 2011 and has a variety of animal stock.
Willemse told the court his summary of bank statements will show that between 2017 and 2021, he received almost N$14 million into his account.
He said the money was profit from his various business engagements and not from Namcor as he only started working permanently for the parastatal in 2022.
He added that his three vehicles were financed through the bank and not from Namcor money. The are a jeep, a bakkie and a VW Golf.
He also has a company called Parkwood Petroleum and Logistics which was established in 2016 and is legitimately owned and operated. The company is also implicated in the oil-corruption matter.
The matter continues in court. -mukubeiuze@gmail.com