Walvis
• Municipal councillors divided over Redforce
The division among councillors serving on the Walvis Bay municipal council threatens to hamper service delivery at the harbour town.
A Swapo councillor serving on the Walvis Bay municipal council has alleged that the council has turned into a political battleground where key management committee decisions are taken in the dark and kept from some council members.
Paulus Kauhondamwa claims the Walvis Bay council is ‘run like a cuca shop’.
“I am an alternate member of the management committee, but I am excluded from meetings. What [are they] hiding? This is plain political play here.”
He made the comments after several councillors seemingly boycotted a special council meeting last Thursday, leading to the third postponement of this particular meeting - which was called to discuss a thorny issue regarding Redforce Debt Management.
The meeting was called for the municipality’s legal counsel, Richard Metcalfe, to share an interim report on an investigation into the appointment of Redforce.
The report is expected to be finalised by 31 July.
Excuses
On Thursday, Albertina Nkoshi expressed disappointment in her fellow councillors.
She was one of the few who showed up for the meeting, alongside Kauhondamwa, Ephraim Shozi and Ryan Gordon. The absent councillors included deputy mayor Sara Mutondoka, management committee chairperson Richard Hoaeb and councillors Olivia Andrews, Leroy Victor and Buddy Bramwell. Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes was out of town at the time.
Nkoshi explained that the meeting was initially set to take place on Wednesday at 18:00.
“Councillors Victor, [Hoaeb], [Andrews] and [Mutondoka] all signed to attend the meeting. But when we came to the meeting, no one was here. Excuses were given. [The meeting] was postponed to Thursday at 10:00, and the same four councillors pitched. However, on Thursday at 16:00, there was a management committee meeting. Councillors [Hoaeb], Andrews and Bramwell attended. What is this now saying to us? What is this now telling us? Are they boycotting Redforce? What is the hidden agenda?” she wanted to know.
Nkoshi added that they will not shy away from the interim report. “If they are guilty or we are guilty, it must come out. The truth will set us free.”
Divided
According to Shozi, while the investigation is ongoing, “we are divided as a council”.
“We learnt today [Thursday] that there was a management committee meeting, and it’s been said that there will be an appointment of a new acting CEO. While we have already appointed a substantive CEO who is going to start on 1 August. Why the rush?
“So now, this is to take the investigation out of the way. Simple. Because the report is getting deeper and deeper. And it’s getting to the end of it.
“Now, the boycotting is not against this council or against the community. It’s to block Redforce. That’s the boycott,” he said.
The municipality has remained tight-lipped on the identity of the new CEO.
Shozi further made reference to a standing council resolution taken in November 2023 that “[the] council resolves that all powers, duties and responsibilities that are legislated for the CEO to execute be conferred upon head of departments who, in the normal course of business, are appointed to act in a temporary capacity for a specified period or event in the stead of the CEO”.
“We understand also the [plan] is to appoint David Uushona, who is a manager for six weeks, while we have executive members of this council, general managers of this council. To come and do what? The same manager was the one who started Redforce. What is the aim and objective? I will leave it there,” he said.
Null and void
Shozi said the resolution was taken in November, but the council was on recess for December and January. “We came back in February to confirm those minutes, meaning the council resolution was confirmed in February. The standing resolution can only be rescinded in six months, which is the end of August.”
He further questioned whether the management committee is above the full council. “This resolution was not confirmed by this council. Why don’t we allow the process to continue and if there is no wrongdoing, or there is, then we take action?”
In emails seen by this publication, Shozi emphasised that the council resolution taken in November 2023 is “binding on the management committee and cannot be revoked for a period of six months from the date of confirmation by the council”.
He added that the management committee is bound by all council resolutions, and cannot act contrary to those binding resolutions.
“The appointment of David Uushona as acting CEO, effected on 13 June, is hence null and void,” he wrote.
No legal weight
In response, management committee chairperson Hoaeb said Shozi must “attach the resolution taken by the council on 27 November 2023, specifically item 11.1. This will allow me and the rest of the team to familiarise ourselves with the content”.
“As per the Local Authorities Act, Section 27 (4), the management committee is clearly given the mandate to designate any staff member to perform the duties of the CEO, especially in the case where the position is still vacant. Your statement also acknowledges this point. Accordingly, the management committee has exercised its duties and complied with the Act, just as we have done in the past with all previous appointments of acting CEOs,” Hoaeb wrote.
According to him, the management committee meeting held last week was “legally constituted”.
“Therefore, any resolutions taken during this meeting are within the prescribed legal framework and should be executed accordingly. I will regard your statement as your own individual opinion and will note it as such, as it does not hold legal weight due to the lack of proper constitution. Please be reminded that a councillor does not have the authority to independently mandate or instruct the administration.”
Paulus Kauhondamwa claims the Walvis Bay council is ‘run like a cuca shop’.
“I am an alternate member of the management committee, but I am excluded from meetings. What [are they] hiding? This is plain political play here.”
He made the comments after several councillors seemingly boycotted a special council meeting last Thursday, leading to the third postponement of this particular meeting - which was called to discuss a thorny issue regarding Redforce Debt Management.
The meeting was called for the municipality’s legal counsel, Richard Metcalfe, to share an interim report on an investigation into the appointment of Redforce.
The report is expected to be finalised by 31 July.
Excuses
On Thursday, Albertina Nkoshi expressed disappointment in her fellow councillors.
She was one of the few who showed up for the meeting, alongside Kauhondamwa, Ephraim Shozi and Ryan Gordon. The absent councillors included deputy mayor Sara Mutondoka, management committee chairperson Richard Hoaeb and councillors Olivia Andrews, Leroy Victor and Buddy Bramwell. Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes was out of town at the time.
Nkoshi explained that the meeting was initially set to take place on Wednesday at 18:00.
“Councillors Victor, [Hoaeb], [Andrews] and [Mutondoka] all signed to attend the meeting. But when we came to the meeting, no one was here. Excuses were given. [The meeting] was postponed to Thursday at 10:00, and the same four councillors pitched. However, on Thursday at 16:00, there was a management committee meeting. Councillors [Hoaeb], Andrews and Bramwell attended. What is this now saying to us? What is this now telling us? Are they boycotting Redforce? What is the hidden agenda?” she wanted to know.
Nkoshi added that they will not shy away from the interim report. “If they are guilty or we are guilty, it must come out. The truth will set us free.”
Divided
According to Shozi, while the investigation is ongoing, “we are divided as a council”.
“We learnt today [Thursday] that there was a management committee meeting, and it’s been said that there will be an appointment of a new acting CEO. While we have already appointed a substantive CEO who is going to start on 1 August. Why the rush?
“So now, this is to take the investigation out of the way. Simple. Because the report is getting deeper and deeper. And it’s getting to the end of it.
“Now, the boycotting is not against this council or against the community. It’s to block Redforce. That’s the boycott,” he said.
The municipality has remained tight-lipped on the identity of the new CEO.
Shozi further made reference to a standing council resolution taken in November 2023 that “[the] council resolves that all powers, duties and responsibilities that are legislated for the CEO to execute be conferred upon head of departments who, in the normal course of business, are appointed to act in a temporary capacity for a specified period or event in the stead of the CEO”.
“We understand also the [plan] is to appoint David Uushona, who is a manager for six weeks, while we have executive members of this council, general managers of this council. To come and do what? The same manager was the one who started Redforce. What is the aim and objective? I will leave it there,” he said.
Null and void
Shozi said the resolution was taken in November, but the council was on recess for December and January. “We came back in February to confirm those minutes, meaning the council resolution was confirmed in February. The standing resolution can only be rescinded in six months, which is the end of August.”
He further questioned whether the management committee is above the full council. “This resolution was not confirmed by this council. Why don’t we allow the process to continue and if there is no wrongdoing, or there is, then we take action?”
In emails seen by this publication, Shozi emphasised that the council resolution taken in November 2023 is “binding on the management committee and cannot be revoked for a period of six months from the date of confirmation by the council”.
He added that the management committee is bound by all council resolutions, and cannot act contrary to those binding resolutions.
“The appointment of David Uushona as acting CEO, effected on 13 June, is hence null and void,” he wrote.
No legal weight
In response, management committee chairperson Hoaeb said Shozi must “attach the resolution taken by the council on 27 November 2023, specifically item 11.1. This will allow me and the rest of the team to familiarise ourselves with the content”.
“As per the Local Authorities Act, Section 27 (4), the management committee is clearly given the mandate to designate any staff member to perform the duties of the CEO, especially in the case where the position is still vacant. Your statement also acknowledges this point. Accordingly, the management committee has exercised its duties and complied with the Act, just as we have done in the past with all previous appointments of acting CEOs,” Hoaeb wrote.
According to him, the management committee meeting held last week was “legally constituted”.
“Therefore, any resolutions taken during this meeting are within the prescribed legal framework and should be executed accordingly. I will regard your statement as your own individual opinion and will note it as such, as it does not hold legal weight due to the lack of proper constitution. Please be reminded that a councillor does not have the authority to independently mandate or instruct the administration.”
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