EX-NAMIBIA Wildlife Resort (NWR) managing director Zelna Hengari has filed a civil suit against her former employer, claiming N$7,5 million for injury to her reputation.
A summons seen by The Namibian shows the former NWR boss is suing the parastatal over statements pertaining to a press statement the board issued on 5 April 2018 which was published in local newspapers.
The summons issued on 11 March also listed environment minister Pohamba Shifeta and public enterprise minister Leon Jooste as second and third respondents.
However, the court papers indicate that no relief is sought against Jooste.
The media statement in response to a news article published in a weekly newspaper relates to a 30-year joint partnership agreement between NWR and Sun Karros Lifestyle Safaris (Pty) Ltd.
Hengari in the court papers said the board alleged she had signed the latter agreement for a period of 30 years without its and the environment minister’s approval.
The agreement was signed by NWR on 11 June 2018, and by Sun Karros in May 2018.
The former NWR MD further claims the board stated that she had acted beyond her scope and power by signing the deal in question, which is known as the Glamping Project, without knowledge of the board and the minister.
According to the court papers, news articles that had emanated from the press release may have been understood by the public to mean that Hengari was involved in misconduct, not professional in her work, failed or refuse to cooperate with the board, involved in inappropriate and unlawful activities to the prejudice of her ex-employer, untruthful, untrustworthy, and had signed the deal for improper and criminal purposes.
She refuted claims of having signed the deal without the board’s approval.
The allegations made by her former employer through the board, Hengari said, was wrongful, untrue, defamatory and prejudicial to her integrity.
The court papers further state that Hengari wants NWR to pay her N$800 000 in damages to her name, and an additional N$6,7 million for damages to her professional name and integrity from her employer. She is also demanding a public apology from the board.
The former NWR boss is also demanding a public apology from Shifeta, rejecting as false the assertion that she had misrepresented to the board the Glamping Project deal, which was subsequently cancelled, by falsely informing the current board that their predecessors had endorsed the deal.
She wants the first and second respondents to issue the apologies in two local newspapers, one being The Namibian, within one month after a court orders them to do so.
Both, Shifeta and NWR board chairperson Leonard Iipumbu on Tuesday said they had not received the ummons for the civil suit Hengari has lodged against them.
Sources privy to the case said the summons was served on NWR and the environment minister last Friday.
Media reports this week suggested Hengari had threatened legal action, should the public enterprises and the environment ministers not take the necessary steps to correct decisions made following the appointment of an “unlawful board” in 2016.
Hengari’s contract was due to end on 16 July 2019, but in January she was served with a notice of non-renewal.
She was suspended in April last year over allegations relating join-venture partnership with Sun Karros Lifestyle Safaris without approval.
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