Bid for Felseneck back on

Bid for Felseneck back on JEMIMA BEUKES



WINDHOEK

The High Court has overturned the lands ministry’s decision to resettle Passions Culinary and Hospitality Institute on Farm Felseneck No. 26 and Okanatjikuma No. 26.

The court found that the applicants lied on their documents that the company is co-owned by former Okahandja mayor Valery Aron, chef Jona Levi, former deputy mayor of Okahandja Niklaas Steenkamp and Veripurua Katjatenja.

In fact, according to court documents, the company only belongs to Levi and was not owned by a group of “four Namibians comprised of two females and two males”.

In his founding affidavit, Ricardo Uirab, who took the matter to court under his company Innodev CC, pointed out this gender balance gave Passions Culinary and Hospitality Institute an unfair advantage.

He also added that Aron and Katjatenja – both women - are also previously disadvantaged people.

“It is therefore a material aspect that Passions Culinary and Hospitality Institute is purportedly owned by women who are previously disadvantaged and that would have influenced the decision-makers to favourably recommend their allotment,” Uirab said.

Restart process

He added that the company’s core business was not game farming and tourism and that they do not have the required experience and capacity to make a success of the game farming unit.

Meanwhile, in his judgment last month, High Court Judge Harold Geier ordered that this decision be reviewed and set aside.

The ministry of land reform and the Land Reform Advisory Commission is further ordered to restart the resettlement process afresh.

Both these entities are also ordered to provide written reasons for their respective decisions to resettle Passions Culinary and Hospitality Institute within 40 days.

Geier ordered that the lands ministry, the Land Reform Advisory Commission and the chairperson of the evaluation committee must pay the legal costs involved.



- jemima@namibiansun.com