War of words hits Benguela commission

NAMIBIA’S representative on the Benguela Current Commission has accused a South African official of “bullying, gossiping and being entitled” to a top position at the organisation.

The situation is so tense that some South African officials threatened to pull out of the commission, but this was dismissed by Namibia’s representative, saying it was a false threat from a “junior official”.

The Benguela Current Commission is a three-nation initiative comprising Namibia, Angola and South Africa to protect and manage the Benguela current marine ecosystem in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Benguela current is considered an important epicentre of marine biodiversity, marine food production and known for “sustaining human well-being for generations”.

Information seen by paints a picture of a power struggle among officials at the commission.

At the heart of the dispute is the appointment of the commission’s acting executive secretary.

The position attracted close to 500 applicants from among the three nations’ citizens.

Namibia pushed for the appointment of Angolan Kumbi Kiongo to run the commission’s administration as acting secretary effective from 1 August 2019.

This left South Africa furious to the extent of declaring a dispute with Namibia. South Africa wants its citizen Thandiwe Gxaba to continue as acting executive secretary.

Some top South African officials accused Anna Erastus – Namibia’s director at the fisheries ministry and chairperson of the commission – of running the commission “like some form of national project”.

Erastus, in turn, accused the South African officials of arrogance, entitlement and bullying.

The latest in this saga is contained in a Monday communication from Erastus to South African commissioner Lisolomzi Fikizolo.

“You talk about bullying. If I need to ask who in this process is bullying others? Just because someone has been removed from a position of acting it is now amounting to this level? As a commissioner, I am being insulted even from yourself. What is it really that drives you to such an extent?” she said.

Erastus said performance has been disregarded at the commission for years.

“Even if a simple report is requested nothing will be submitted. I am still appealing for commissioners to act on fact rather than lies and gossiping,” she said.

Erastus added: “I am kindly requesting Fikizolo not to exchange messages with vulgar language. Please, if you have a substantial issue to discuss with commissioners kindly raise that professionally. BCC is not a union for fighting and distractions, it has a structure to be followed”.

According to her, the bone of contention is the appointment of the acting executive secretary.

“The Benguela Current Commission should not be run by individuals who just travel from one place to another without being accountable to anyone,” she said.

Erastus declined to comment on her above communication when approached by this week, saying it is an internal matter.

She, however, said the threats by South Africa to pull out of the commission are baseless.

“Let me start by saying that the allegations about any member state pulling out of Benguela Current Commission are baseless, because, in terms of the convention, only the ministers, one each for Namibia, South Africa and Angola can speak for their countries. I can assure you that no such communication or intent has been received at the BCC secretariat,” Erastus said.

She denied allegations that she bulldozed the appointment of the current acting executive secretary.

“What I have been informed is that an official at the secretariat, who has been acting executive secretary for the past nine months is complaining because another official has been appointed to act in the same position currently,” she added.

Erastus said the BCC policy only allows for three months in an acting position.

“So nine months was out of order, hence the change in the person acting. Again, it would not be right, in terms of sound corporate governance principles for someone who has applied for the position to act for long. This creates conflict of interest and entitlement,” Erastus said.

Indications so far show that South Africa is also unhappy that Namibia pushed for the appointment of the acting executive secretary from Angola.

This angered Fikizolo who insisted that they only recognise Thandiwe Gxaba – from South Africa – as the acting executive secretary of the commission.

“Whoever assumes her position due to unsolicited and unprocedural means will be dully and personally liable,” Fikizolo said.