TransNamib to probe failure-to-act claims

THE Board of TransNamib has decided to set up a high-level committee consisting of its members, the Ministry of Transport and the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Natau) to investigate allegations of mismanagement at the parastatal.

The decision came 10 days after Natau, backed by NUNW, called for a Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the affairs of TransNamib and the immediate removal of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, John Shaetonhodi. Natau President Dawid Tjombe said the current board, appointed a year ago, had failed to act on time and must be given the boot.The Namibian has established reliably that the team met with former President Sam Nujoma to consult him about the procedures that had been followed to buy locomotives from China.Last week the Chairperson of the TransNamib Board, Foibe Namene, announced that the new committee had been set up and would start with its work early this month.The committee is expected to table a plan to direct the future of TransNamib.TransNamib bought four locomotives from China and obtained an additional Government-backed loan of around N$200 million (250 million) Chinese Yuan from the Export/ Import Bank of China to buy more locomotives from that country.However, the four locomotives have become a headache for the transport parastatal.Natau also expressed its unhappiness over the “the chronic state of gross mismanagement” at TransNamib.Tjombe said the TransNamib executive had failed and the Board “seems to have colluded with the management in running the company into the ground”.He said Natau failed to understand why the Board was not acting against incompetent senior managers.The four locomotives from China, he added, had “chronic mechanical problems” resulting in huge financial losses for the company.Namene refused to be drawn into responding on the allegations that the Board had failed the company.She merely said the Board recognised the role as well as the constitutional right of Natau to speak on behalf of the employees.Natau President Dawid Tjombe said the current board, appointed a year ago, had failed to act on time and must be given the boot.The Namibian has established reliably that the team met with former President Sam Nujoma to consult him about the procedures that had been followed to buy locomotives from China.Last week the Chairperson of the TransNamib Board, Foibe Namene, announced that the new committee had been set up and would start with its work early this month.The committee is expected to table a plan to direct the future of TransNamib.TransNamib bought four locomotives from China and obtained an additional Government-backed loan of around N$200 million (250 million) Chinese Yuan from the Export/ Import Bank of China to buy more locomotives from that country.However, the four locomotives have become a headache for the transport parastatal. Natau also expressed its unhappiness over the “the chronic state of gross mismanagement” at TransNamib.Tjombe said the TransNamib executive had failed and the Board “seems to have colluded with the management in running the company into the ground”.He said Natau failed to understand why the Board was not acting against incompetent senior managers.The four locomotives from China, he added, had “chronic mechanical problems” resulting in huge financial losses for the company.Namene refused to be drawn into responding on the allegations that the Board had failed the company.She merely said the Board recognised the role as well as the constitutional right of Natau to speak on behalf of the employees.