Shiimi endorses NYC director’s suspension despite Tjongarero refusal

Public enterprises minister Ipumbu Shiimi has granted the National Youth Council’s (NYC) board of directors approval to suspend the institution’s director, Calista Schwartz-Gowases, just three days after youth minister Agnes Tjongarero castigated the board and ordered it to reverse the suspension.

Tjongarero’s letter to NYC executive chairperson Sharonice Busch, ordering her to reinstate Schwartz-Gowases, is dated 25 March.

On 28 March, Shiimi wrote to NYC vice-chairperson Josef van der Westhuizen, granting approval for the director’s suspension.

Shiimi, in his letter, indicated that he had "consulted" Tjongarero on the matter.

Tjongarero has been accused of siding with Schwartz-Gowases in her now-public power struggle with Busch.

NYC is considered a public enterprise, and while it reports to both the ministry of youth and that of public enterprises, it’s the latter ministry that is deemed more powerful when it comes to governance issues.

Instructions changed

In a strongly-worded letter to Busch last week, Tjongarero insisted that the Schwartz-Gowases suspension was null and void and should be revoked with immediate effect. The minister added that the suspension was unlawful because she did not ratify it as line minister.

“[The suspension] should be revoked with immediate effect as [it] was unlawful and without my consent,” wrote the youth minister.

She also took exception to the fact that Busch “bypassed” her office and wrote to Shiimi to request permission to suspend the director.

Tjongarero wrote that government has launched an investigation into the NYC to probe allegations of corruption, mismanagement and non-compliance and therefore no one should be suspended pending the outcome of that investigation.

But in his own letter, Shiimi wrote: “Having considered the content of your letter, and that of the report by the independent investigation committee, I hereby grant the board approval to suspend the director of the National Youth Council.”

Report findings

Schwartz-Gowases has accused Busch of interfering in the administrative affairs of NYC, a role reserved for the director as accounting officer of the institution.

Schwartz-Gowases, on the other hand, is accused in an audit report of committing NYC to contracts without following proper procurement procedures and acting outside the ambit of set standards.

The PwC audit report cites an example of how she allegedly sidelined NYC’s internal tender committee and concluded a contract with Joevani Properties without financial provisions having been made.

“[Schwartz-Gowases] entered into a contract on 9 February 2018 with Joevani Properties, binding NYC to services amounting to N$471 701.53 without provision made in the budget and/or board approval. She did not comply with the finance procedures, which state that if there is insufficient budget for an emergency issue, board approval should be obtained,” it said.

The bid was supposed to be handled by the NYC internal tender committee but had been concluded without its recommendations, it said.

“The procurement policy states that the internal tender committee should recommend to the director [Schwartz-Gowases] for all procurements to be done by the council,” PwC said.