By Risco Lumamezi
ACTING Chief Executive Officer of Katima Mulilo Town Council (KMTC), Mr. Charles Nawa has rejected accusations by his subordinate, Mr. Humphrey Divai that he had personal grudges that led to the demolishing of his car wash.
License Testing Officer, Mr. Divai who recently lost his Car Wash properties last month in Katima Mulilo tendered his resignation letter to his employer (KMTC) after his car wash was demolished.
Mr. Nawa denied that several letters were given at his disposal to move to a gazetted area but he did not want to do that.
He said since the premises were close to the main road (Trans-Caprivi High Way) and the unavailability of the drainage system that moisture was affecting the area as a public place.
Mr. Divai who is represented by Muluti and Partners is seeking an amount of Sixty Thousand Namibia Dollars for damages and emotional pains after the Katima Council demolished his car wash.
He accused his superior (Mr. Nawa) for destroying his business before the deadline of their Public Notice, which was placed in this paper.
He divulged to Caprivi Vision that his business came into place after he was permitted by the owner of Katima Truck Stop to rent the place and four people were employed among them, three were San speaking.
“They had a notice in the Caprivi Vision where they notified the public that all Carwash, Undeveloped places, Barbershops will be closed on the 31st of January 2012 but unfortunately mine was destroyed on the 19th, so a lot of equipment that I was using such as a compressor machine, Vacuums, Zincs and other things that I spent on the business was destroyed and it was a lot of money that was involved it could be ranging to N$55000 that is the value of the stuffs that was destroyed at the Carwash,” He explained.
He alleged that before his business was destroyed he had some personal grudges with the Acting CEO of Katima Mulilo Town Council Mr. Charles Nawa saying he used to call him (Divai) after working hours and threatening him.
“There was time when I was sick so I could not feel ok every time, when it rains (Asthmatic patient) and I go to the hospital and the doctor some times book me for a day the CEO had a problem with that so he might cancel my sick leave and write unpaid leave so all these things it forced me even to resign by now I will no longer be working for KMTC and my last day is February 23, 2012 because I cannot work under stress any more, I think that is the story in short,” he lamented.
Asked what was his intentions since his business was also destroyed he said, “The legal action has been taken already, the case has been opened with the lawyers Mr. Muluti and partners in Windhoek and currently now they are within ten (10) days they wrote them a letter to pay N$60 000. 00 if they don’t do that it will go to court that is the instructions they got from Muluti and partners as my lawyers,” he said.
According to Mr. Divai, apart from the notice that was placed in the Caprivi Vision they was no official letter of notifying or informing him “According to them they said they have brought a letter but I didn’t see it and on delivery of a letter a person has to sign to show that the document/letter has been received but even if they bring those letters today which they are claiming that they sent the letter to me which I never received I even asked my guys at the Car-wash that did anyone deliver a letter but they said no they didn’t see anyone delivering a letter and now we are no longer operating because everything was destroyed and my guys are now in streets and some times you will see them coming to my place and if I have something even small I have to give them again because I feel pity for them”.
Why did you tender a resignation letter now because that was not irrelevant to your work but it was your personal business?
“What contributed to the destruction of my Car-wash started already from work, really am not free and happy and what I am thinking now is to seek for employment to see what I can get in life” he added.
He is still arguing that KMTC people used to move around and inform the Car-wash owners that they will be relocated at the industrial area next to Bernard Mutelo mortuary, “We were still waiting to be relocated up to now that’s why we couldn’t move out even after the deadline we were waiting for them to give us a place but after the sudden they destroyed my machines and my guys couldn’t move them because it was very urgent they just started running away fearing to be injured by the bulldozer which destroyed everything and with personal hatred I thought that he was going to stop but he never and according to the information from is that when I started getting sick I have been telling him to give me a transfer to go to other regions and that is where there was a mis understanding because there was no one qualified to work for NaTiS that is the reason they are giving for now and even when he was still the finance manager he was our manager because NaTiS here belongs to town council under finance so everything we were reporting to him so the story started there up to now when he is acting as CEO,”
He (Divai) worked as a police officer/traffic officer as well as a labour inspector before working for the Katima Mulilo Town Council, “I don’t think if I’ll take one year because I’ve got some qualification that can take me to another job,” he quashed.
However, Mr. Nawa confirmed having received the resignation letter with his Human Resources Department.
He added that Mr. Divai started working for Katima Mulilo Town Council in 2009 when he was coming from Otjiwarongo where he worked as a Traffic Officer in the Namibian Police.
“He was not comfortable due to his health, I do not see that all what happened was due to that, he got a position somewhere and we are going to lose him ” said Mr. Nawa.
When asked on when will they going to pay Mr. Divai for his damages he has suffered as requested by his lawyers.
He responded that he received the letter of demand and he has already drafted a letter for their lawyers,
“What kind of good terms is he talking about, I was on suspension at the time he received letters to move away the place” explained Mr. Nawa.
He pointed out its not a personal issue as he is saying but what he knows is that Mr. Divai went to his office with a request to transfer him to Swakopmund then he (Mr. Nawa) refused saying it was impossible to transfer him to Swakopmund Municipality because Katima Mulilo Town Council is an autonomous institution.
“I was a Chairperson for the interview, so why should I hate him if I recommended him for the job” stressed Mr. Nawa.
He added that the Katima Mulilo Town Council has identified an open space at Ngweze Community hall for the public to rent for car wash businesses.
He further explained that KMTC is operating under the Local Authority Act 23 of 1992 with mandate to execute and interested people and investors are welcome to apply for business and residential plots to approach his office since it has an open door policy.
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