Niël Terblanché
In the wake of a contentious letter spreading through social media channels, Tom Alweendo, Namibia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, has raised serious doubts regarding the document’s authenticity.
The controversial letter, alleging high-level corruption within the Petroleum Directorate which serves the critical role of licensing of oil and gas exploration, was purportedly penned by one Louis Beauvais, claiming to represent shareholders of TotalEnergies and addressed to Patrick Pouyanne, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the same enterprise.
“The letter in question lacks credibility. TotalEnergies has not acknowledged its receipt, nor is there any knowledge of the alleged author, Louis Beauvais. Despite the unclear origins, the gravity of the accusations pressed us to address them.” Alweendo said in a formal response.
The disputed allegations within the letter accuse the Ministry of Mines and Energy of corrupt practices in the appointment of Maggy Shino as the Petroleum Directorate’s Director and allege undue favouritism towards Zambezi Exploration (PTY) Ltd in their application for an oil block.
Minister Alweendo vehemently defended the Ministry’s processes, emphasizing a commitment to ethical conduct and adherence to legal standards.
“Corruption is abhorrent and utterly unacceptable and must be met with the strictest accountability from all parties,” he declared.
In defence of Shino’s appointment, the minister clarified that her selection was the result of a fair and standard procedure.
He went on to explain that an independent panel’s assessment placed Shino at the top with a 72 percent score, a clear lead over the next candidate.
Despite the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) initial rejection based on an alleged lack of managerial experience, Shino’s subsequent appeal – substantiated by her experience in a managerial role for more than three years – was successful.
Addressing the second corruption charge, the Ministry maintains that Zambezi Exploration received no preferential treatment.
As per protocol, exploration license recipients must provide a Performance Guarantee. Zambezi’s request for an extension to this provision, deemed reasonable by the Ministry, was granted.
The minister also addressed comparisons between the treatment of Zambezi and another company, Red Soil, which was unsuccessful in its license application and later contested the Ministry’s decision in the High Court of Namibia – a case that ended in the Ministry’s favour.
Alweendo reassured the public of the Ministry’s integrity.
“We unequivocally do not condone corruption. While recognizing that no system is perfect, it is our duty to rectify unethical conduct within our ranks. Our role as guardians of Namibia’s natural resources is taken with the utmost seriousness, and we pledge to uphold these values without fail,” he stated
