Patience Makwele
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa has warned against political and administrative power struggles as the government rolls out the decentralisation of youth and sporting functions to regional councils.
Speaking at the official handover launch in Otjiwarongo on Wednesday, Sankwasa said tensions between governors, regional councils and decentralised staff could affect the success of the programme if reporting lines and responsibilities are not respected.
“What is remaining there is their salary. Your operation, your supervisor is now the regional council,” Sankwasa said, referring to staff transferred from national ministries to regional structures.
The government has officially delegated youth empowerment, sports promotion and development planning functions to all 14 regional councils.
A total of 327 staff members are expected to be seconded during the transition.
The decentralisation process is aimed at bringing services and decision-making closer to communities.
Sankwasa said previous decentralisation efforts exposed confusion over authority and governance within regional structures.
“The governor is the head of the region,” he said.
“Within that region, there is the regional council, there is a local authority council and there are traditional authorities. What we have is a challenge in this country in understanding the legal framework that must govern our actions.”
He said decentralisation cannot succeed if institutions compete for authority or operate separately from each other.
Sankwasa stressed the need for “a proper symbiotic relationship” between regional councils and decentralised staff.
Sankwasa also warned against political interference in administration and procurement while defending the oversight role of elected leaders.
“No councillor, no governor and no minister must interfere in administration, but we have a role to intervene,” he said.
He added that weak monitoring systems and poor management could affect implementation if accountability is not strengthened.
Sankwasa urged regional leaders to focus on implementation instead of bureaucracy.
“Sport is already in the villages. You don’t need to have a graduate certificate to be recognised as an international sportsman or sportswoman,” he said.
At the same event, Sanet Steenkamp, the minister of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture, announced that the youth and sports functions were officially gazetted in May 2024 and that consultations took place with unions, staff,and regional councils before the rollout.
She said technical teams from both ministries would continue assisting regional councils with office space, assets, finances and human resource matters.
Otjozondjupa governor John //Khamuseb welcomed the transition, calling it “a deliberate and strategic shift” aimed at improving local governance and service delivery.
“The official handing over of functions from the ministry of youth and sport to our regional councils signals a new era of empowerment at the subnational level,” //Khamuseb said.
He said regional councils would be better positioned to respond to local youth and sports needs.
“Youth empowerment in particular remains central to our national development agenda,” he said.
“By equipping our young people with opportunities, skills and platforms for growth, we are investing in a future that is innovative, resilient and inclusive.”
Meanwhile, executive director of the ministry, Gerard Vries, said the transition comes amid financial and operational challenges within government.
“While the ministry continues to face challenges, including a skewed organisational structure, budgetary constraints and an ageing fleet, we have nonetheless made significant strides despite these difficulties,” Vries said.
He said decentralisation would help expand youth and sports services to rural and underserved communities.
“The success of this process will depend on effective collaboration between the ministry and regional councils,” he said.
