Hardap Regional Council caves in to Govt pressure

THE Hardap Regional Council has succumbed to political pressure from Government after spending months opposing the appointment of senior managers.

Governor Pieter Boltman announced that the Council had finally agreed to appoint two directors and a chief regional officer after the Office of the Prime Minister and the Secretary to Cabinet visited them and requested that they reconsider their opposition to these appointments. Boltman said that although the Act stated otherwise, they were not consulted on the screening and appointment of the officials.”The correct position would have been that the recruitment and appointment procedure be conducted by the employer (Hardap Regional Council) in consultation with the Minister and not the other way around,” he said.He said the Hardap Regional Council could not be expected to appoint top management and assume liability towards their voters for the performance of such candidates, when they were not afforded the opportunity to assess the suitability of the appointed person.With the agreement, the Hardap Regional Council paved the way for former New Era Managing Director James Sankwasa to take up his new position.Hardap had earlier accepted the promotion of their former chief executive officer, Theresia Basson, to deputy director level.Basson and 10 other chief executives challenged a plan by Government to replace them as heads of their regions.The issue was settled out of court and they were promoted with new titles as directors of planning.Officials in the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing were not happy with the Hardap Council accepting the promotion of Basson yet opposing other appointments.Boltman said they were not party to the settlement with former chief executives but agreed to BassonŽs promotion because she served the Council with distinction for 12 years.”Council can see no reason why she should not be retained as part of management.Concerning all other appointments, Council was not involved with the screening process and the appointments made after candidates were interviewed.These were not effected by the Hardap Regional Council as prescribed by law,” the Governor said.It is believed that the Ministry still wants to appoint Balbina Pienaar as Chief Regional Officer for the Omaheke Region.Earlier, Regional Government Permanent Secretary Erastus Negonga advised both the Hardap and Omaheke Regional Councils to proceed with those appointments after receiving an instruction to that effect from the Office of the Attorney General.The former chief executive officers took the Government to court late last year and halted a planned appointment of chief regional officers.They argued that they faced the loss of their jobs.The regional officers whose urgent application led to the November order were Ditto !Gonteb (Erongo), Pederius Uaetotjari Tjihoreko (Omaheke), Theresia Basson (Hardap), Boas Shimwe Munalye (Oshana), Sophia Sointu Angula-Mupopiwa (Oshikoto), Erasmus Nganyone (Kunene) and Otniel Kazombiaze (Otjozondjupa).Boltman said that although the Act stated otherwise, they were not consulted on the screening and appointment of the officials.”The correct position would have been that the recruitment and appointment procedure be conducted by the employer (Hardap Regional Council) in consultation with the Minister and not the other way around,” he said.He said the Hardap Regional Council could not be expected to appoint top management and assume liability towards their voters for the performance of such candidates, when they were not afforded the opportunity to assess the suitability of the appointed person.With the agreement, the Hardap Regional Council paved the way for former New Era Managing Director James Sankwasa to take up his new position.Hardap had earlier accepted the promotion of their former chief executive officer, Theresia Basson, to deputy director level.Basson and 10 other chief executives challenged a plan by Government to replace them as heads of their regions.The issue was settled out of court and they were promoted with new titles as directors of planning.Officials in the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing were not happy with the Hardap Council accepting the promotion of Basson yet opposing other appointments.Boltman said they were not party to the settlement with former chief executives but agreed to BassonŽs promotion because she served the Council with distinction for 12 years.”Council can see no reason why she should not be retained as part of management.Concerning all other appointments, Council was not involved with the screening process and the appointments made after candidates were interviewed.These were not effected by the Hardap Regional Council as prescribed by law,” the Governor said.It is believed that the Ministry still wants to appoint Balbina Pienaar as Chief Regional Officer for the Omaheke Region.Earlier, Regional Government Permanent Secretary Erastus Negonga advised both the Hardap and Omaheke Regional Councils to proceed with those appointments after receiving an instruction to that effect from the Office of the Attorney General.The former chief executive officers took the Government to court late last year and halted a planned appointment of chief regional officers.They argued that they faced the loss of their jobs.The regional officers whose urgent application led to the November order were Ditto !Gonteb (Erongo), Pederius Uaetotjari Tjihoreko (Omaheke), Theresia Basson (Hardap), Boas Shimwe Munalye (Oshana), Sophia Sointu Angula-Mupopiwa (Oshikoto), Erasmus Nganyone (Kunene) and Otniel Kazombiaze (Otjozondjupa).