Sinvula back in office as infighting lingers
Under-fire Grootfontein municipality CEO Kisco Sinvula is back in office despite fresh attempts to have him suspended by some local authority councillors at the embattled town.
Sinvula’s recent suspension was ostensibly lifted after urban and rural development minister Erastus Uutoni intervened.
Uutoni last week called the Grootfontein councillors to order and directed council should be run in accordance with the law, particularly when it comes to suspensions.
The minister’s urgent meeting was prompted by a long battle, where Grootfontein mayor Talitha Garises has been hard at work to suspend Sinvula over allegations of serious misconduct.
Uutoni directed such a suspension is illegal and the CEO should return to the office with immediate effect.
The allegations levelled against Sinvula include insubordination, abuse of power, violation of the Local Authority Act of 1992, forgery, racketeering and misuse of public funds, among others.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Sinvula confirmed he is back in office.
“The suspension was illegal. I am back in the office but three councillors; the mayor, the chairperson of the management committee and councillor Jacobs are prohibiting me from doing my work,” he said yesterday.
“They came to my office and gave me instructions to leave the office. However, I don’t comply with illegal decisions.”
Garises was not available for comment, while the chairperson of the management committee Elizabeth Kastoor said she could not comment on the issue.
Uutoni had directed the council
to comply with the law, as it has acted in violation thereof for it to rescind its decision and to act in strict compliance with the cited provision of the Act.
The council, which is seemingly divided, had a special meeting on 24 March 2022, where Garises submitted a motion with allegations of serious misconduct against Sinvula to ultimately have him suspended from office.
The situation got out of hand, forcing Uutoni to intervene last when he summoned the councillors to Windhoek for a closed-door meeting to discuss the endless infighting at the town.
Uutoni summoned the councillors at the meeting that the issue of suspending a CEO is not even an emergency.
Uutoni said the Act requires the council to first inform the minister of its intention to suspend or discharge the CEO, and to put out before him evidence in support of its case.