Otjiwarongo clears up Dan-Boy land debacle The Otjiwarongo Municipality on Monday apologised to a local businessman, Dan-Boy Shonena Ndjadila for the confusion surrounding the land deal it entered with him in August 2015.The Municipality CEO Ismael /Howoseb on Monday called a media conference where a statement of apology to Ndjadila was issued.
Present at the conference was Otjiwarongo mayor Bennes Haimbondi, Ndjadila and senior managers of the municipality.
“The Municipality of Otjiwarongo undertakes to rectify and set the record straight around the matter surrounding the intention to sell a portion of Otjitazu No. 19’s 20 hectares to Mr Dan-Boy Ndjadila for the establishment of a truck port,” reads the statement.
A 20 ha portion of land is equivalent to 200 000 square metres.
The statement further said Ndjadila in 2013 applied for the land to lease or purchase, and the municipality opted to sell it to him for N$50 per square metre which is N$10 million in total.
However, during the compilation of the deed of sale, a calculation error occurred as the document erroneously stated, in both figures and words, that the 20 hectares of land would be purchased at N$1 million, instead of N$10 million.
The municipality admits to have made the error.
Initially, it was not known who compiled the deed of sale for Ndjadila, and on Monday /Howoseb said he was told by Ndjadila that the manager for economic development, Petros Kuteeue had compiled this specific deed of sale.
Contacted for comment the same Monday afternoon, Kuteeue said: “Let me not comment on that. Let me reserve my comment on that.”
According to /Howoseb, the transactions between the municipality and Ndjadila were indeed authentic, official, and devoid of any dubious actions as the Otjiwarongo Town Council and Ndjadila are well aware of this deal.
“Therefore, we acknowledge as a true reflection of sale of 20 ha (200 000 m2) of portion Otjitazu No. 19 at an amount of N$10 million.”
Ndjadila has so far paid N$1 million to the council, and when /Howoseb was questioned about what will happen to the remaining N$9 million, he said the council will discuss the matter with the businessman to figure out how he will pay it.
/Howoseb also said the municipality regrets the turn of the events and media reports that circulated at the beginning of this year on the issue.
Ndjadila received the deed of sale from the Otjiwarongo Municipality before paying for the land, which is contrary to the internal policies of the Otjiwarongo Town Council.
The businessman opted not to comment on the matter at the media conference on Monday.
The Otjiwarongo CEO also on Monday refused to produce the letter which Ndjadila had written to the municipality in 2013 to ask for the portion of land for his intended business.
NAMPA