Sostenus Wilherm
A section of the /Khomani traditional community has threatened to stage a mass demonstration at the ministry of urban and rural development on 1 September unless it receives a response from the government regarding demands to remove chief Juliane Gawanas and the outcome of a long-awaited financial audit into the affairs of the traditional authority.
In a letter addressed to line minister James Sankwasa, community representatives said about 1 000 members are expected to gather outside the ministry’s offices in Windhoek to demand answers over what they describe as prolonged silence on governance and financial accountability issues.
The community said the planned demonstration follows months of unsuccessful attempts to obtain feedback from the ministry after requesting an audit report and submitting the outcome of a referendum calling for the removal of the chief.
“This letter serves as a notice that approximately 1 000 /Khomani traditional community members will gather in front of the ministry building on 1 September 2026 to demand responses,” the letter states.
At the centre of the dispute is a financial audit covering the past 15 years of the /Khomani Traditional Authority, which community members say is necessary to determine how public funds intended for the traditional community were managed.
“We need the outcome of this report to take appropriate action on the misuse of funds intended for the community,” the community said.
The representatives argue that members of the traditional community were never consulted on how funds allocated to the authority were spent, despite provisions in the Traditional Authorities Act.
They cited Section 18(4) of the Traditional Authorities Act, 2000 (Act No. 25 of 2000), which they say requires the traditional community to consent to how funds are spent or distributed.
“We have not been consulted at any point, hence the request for the audit reports a year ago,” the letter reads.
The second demand relates to a referendum conducted by members of the community seeking the removal of chief Juliane Gawanas.
According to the letter, a narrative report documenting the outcome of the referendum was submitted to the ministry on 22 June this year in terms of Section 8(1) of the Traditional Authorities Act.
The community is now demanding the minister’s response to that report, arguing that it will determine its next course of action.
“Response from you on this report will guide our next steps in sorting out governance issues of the |Khomani Traditional Authority experienced by the community,” the representatives wrote.
They further accuse the traditional authority of failing to comply with the Traditional Authorities Act and customary law, alleging that community meetings have not been held and that financial reporting has not taken place.
The signatories say the absence of written feedback from the ministry has left community members frustrated and uncertain about whether their concerns are being addressed.
“The letter is necessitated by the absence of written feedback from your office since we requested the audit report and submitted the report in June 2026,” they said.
The notice was signed by representatives from several /Khomani communities, including Arovlei, ‡Ganaxas, ‡Goas, !Naoaspoort and ‡Nossob, as well as representatives of landless /Khomani members and other concerned community members.
The latest development marks another chapter in a leadership dispute that has divided the /Khomani Traditional Community in recent years.
Previous reports have highlighted long-standing disagreements over governance, financial accountability and the legitimacy of the traditional leadership, with some members accusing the authority of failing to consult communities on key decisions and the management of community resources.
The ministry of urban and rural development has previously maintained that matters relating to the recognition and administration of traditional authorities must be handled in accordance with the Traditional Authorities Act and established legal processes.
However, community representatives now say they can no longer wait indefinitely for a response, warning that the planned demonstration will proceed unless the ministry provides feedback before 1 September.
The group said it hopes to receive a written response from Sankwasa’s office before the planned protest, but insists that if no response is forthcoming, community members will travel to Windhoek to demand accountability over both the audit findings and the future leadership of the |Khomani Traditional Authority.
The ministry of urban and rural development had not commented on the notice at the time of publication.
