Lüderitz residents complain about Council auction

LÃœDERITZ residents want the Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate a recent auction held by the Town Council.

The residents claim that a council accountant, Stanley Narib, who doubles as the local Tender Board secretary, arranged the auction without the approval of the Tender Board and Town Council.They claim that there were no public notices advertising the auction and that only four to five people, including Narib, were bidding at the auction.Narib apparently bought a Toyota Corolla for N$4 000.When asked for comment, Narib said there was nothing wrong with his taking part in the auction.’I did bid as an ordinary public member, what’s wrong with it?’ Narib asked. He said the car in question was bought ‘as scrap’ and it would costs more than N$15 000 to get it running.Narib rubbished allegations that he had organised the auction in a clandestine and illegal manner. ‘There is a Council resolution to prove that it endorsed the auction,’ he said, adding that the council did not need Tender Board approval to auction off unwanted items.The town’s CEO, Inge Ipinge, could not be reached for comment. luqman@namibian.com.na