EDITORIAL: Namibia’s Phala Phala shame

Acting South African public protector Kholeka Gcaleka’s report into the Phala Phala saga leaves much to be desired. Upon reviewing the report, it becomes apparent that a lot of technicalities were exploited to whitewash a scandal of monumental proportions.

We do not care much about what transpired on the northern side of the Orange River, but here, at home, many questions on ethical leadership and abuse of positions remain unanswered.

First, Namibian resources – in the form of our national police force and taxpayers’ money – were used to hunt down the Phala Phala theft mastermind, Immanuel David.

Meanwhile, not a single criminal case was opened against him in South Africa.

This was done under the pretext of David having entered Namibia illegally, yet he was questioned extensively about the Phala Phala theft – as per the leaked police intelligence report authored by Commissioner Nelius Becker.

Secondly, Cyril Ramaphosa’s envoy, Bejani Chauke, and head of presidential security, Wally Rhoode, entered Namibia in June 2020 by skipping our immigration entry point. The two men were picked up from ‘no man’s land’ between the two countries’ border points – meaning they never made it to Namibia’s immigration officials. A Namibian police chopper was used to pick them up from the border – as they chased their boss’s missing millions.

We were played like tennis balls in this whole saga. Of course, Gcaleka was not investigating Namibian authorities. If she was, she could have clearly detected how corrupt Namibia’s dealings in this matter were.