TransNamib CEO Naanda faces the chop

THE TransNamib board of directors is after CEO Sara Naanda’s head, with a suspension imminent, The Namibian has learned.

Those in the know said Naanda was summoned to appear before the board on Monday morning.

At the meeting, a suspension letter was allegedly read to her, and she was allegedly informed that she had 24 hours to convince the board why she should not be suspended.

The Namibian has also learned that TransNamib general manager for finance Michael Gotore could be another casualty as the board and the chief executive officer wrestle for the control of the company.

The TransNamib board of directors was tight-lipped yesterday.

“We can’t confirm that,” said the board’s spokesperson Dantagos Jimmy-Melani.

Jimmy-Melani said she will issue a formal communication once the board has made a decision that will effect material changes in the company. Naanda also refused to comment.

“I would prefer you talk to the board,” she told The Namibian yesterday.

It is not exactly clear why the TransNamib board wants to suspend Naanda. The relationship between Naanda and the board has not been rosy since the new board took office a few months ago.

Some media reports also said that the board had knives out for Naanda.

This worsened when the board kept her in the dark over the appointment of a project manager, who is above the CEO, to implement the ailing parastatal’s ambitious 180-day turnaround strategy.

TransNamib sources said the move was seen as a way of demoting Naanda, who, as CEO, should be responsible for the operations of the company.

The Namibian is also informed that Naanda learned about the appointment of Johan Piek as the project manager for the turnaround strategy through an internal memo sent out by the board to all the staff members a few weeks ago.

But Naanda’s detractors, however, pointed out that she had a lot to answer for since taking over the running of the company last year.

Last month, The Namibian ran a story that Naanda’s company, where she is a shareholder and director, was administering the TransNamib pension fund. Naanda was also the chairperson of the TransNamib Pension Fund Board of Trustees.