By: Hertha Ekandjo
Urban and rural development deputy minister Natalia /Goagoses stayed away from a meeting with the outraged Witvlei community on Thursday as they are allegedly hard to handle and “do not listen to their council”.
Community members held a demonstration over accusations of maladministration and favouritism within the village council.
Goagoses told The Villager that she intervened in the issue of the community’s uprisings by asking the village council, “what was going on?”
“I was told that community members were called and feedback was given, but the community members did not want to accept anything,” said Goagoses.
Witvlei residents on Thursday held a demonstration calling for the shutdown of the village council, claiming that the deputy minister of urban and rural development failed to come to their rescue.
“I was not part of the meeting. They didn’t accept the feedback because they wanted to hear certain answers. They wanted to get a certain answer, according to the CEO, Hendrik Muisoor,” explained the deputy minister.
Furthermore, she stated that the community wants the ministry’s intervention, which she said can not be the case.
She exclaimed that the ministry could not just intervene as their mandate has different roles.
She further said this was not within their jurisdiction, but instead, it is the CEO who has to take that step and write to the ministry in the request for the ministry to step in or maybe assist the council with specific responses.
“Until today, I have not received any request of such a nature unless it’s on the minister’s table,” said /Goagoses.
/Goagoses lauded that the ministry is willing to assist where there’s a need for assistance.
Chris Murangi, an activist for the Voice of the Voiceless group, said they were disappointed by the deputy minister.
He stated that they had called for /Goagoses to come to their rescue, but she disappointed them by not showing up while
they are need of her intervention.
“After promising to come this week Monday, she didn’t show up. We wrote her a letter on Tuesday that we need her to attend to our issue on Wednesday, she didn’t respond nor has she done anything,” he stressed.
He added that all the necessary documents and petition had been forwarded to /Goagoses’s office.
“We have followed the necessary procedures, and we went to local councillors, constituency councillors, and we had discussions with the regional council. We have occasionally taken up the issue with the governor but to no avail!” He exclaimed.
Moreover, Murangi said that their reaching out to the ministry seems to be of no help but a dead end.
He emphasised that they think it would be better to reach out to President Hage Geingob. “Perhaps he will do something for us.”
“Witvlei is not moving an inch forward, rather inches backwards. No projects, there’s no development in this area,” said Murangi.
Moreover, he said that tender procedures are not happening. According to him, tenders are not published but given to those selected in favour of the councillors.
“High rankings officials owe the council a lot of money, from rates and taxes. Big companies always have money, but no one is collecting it,” noted Murangi.
Furthermore, Murangi explained that the council was in no position to render good services to the community as there was no money in the council.
“We are still living in the 1970s while the whole country has moved on,” he stressed.
The activist says they need a forensic audit to bring forth evidence of favouritism regarding tenders and many more hidden corruption-related activities.
Meanwhile, John Tjirare, a community member, revealed to The Villager that their response from the council was unsatisfactory.
“There’s poor service delivery, and the council doesn’t have money to deliver services,” he said.
He stated that the Witvlei CEO was corrupt and only allocated land to himself and close friends.
Tjirari said that Muisoor does not pay for camps he allocated to himself and his friends.
“The sewage project which has been going on for years, we want to know how much money was budgeted for that project and how much was spent and when the project will be complete,” he said.
When The Villager reached out to Muisoor, he was not available for comment.
