Niël Terblanché
The municipality of Walvis Bay has apologised to its former chief executive officer, Muronga Haingura, bringing an end to a N$1.5 million civil lawsuit he had lodged against the local authority over allegations linking him to financial mismanagement.
Haingura, who was accused of involvement in a scandal surrounding the Mass Land Servicing Project, agreed to withdraw his case at the Windhoek High Court last Tuesday, on condition that the municipality formally issue a formal public apology clearing his name.
The allegations, which emerged in 2020, suggest that N$24 million from the housing scheme was either missing or misappropriated.
At the time, local newspapers widely reported on the claims that prompted an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigation in early December that year.
In response, the municipal council resolved on 15 December 2020 to appoint an independent auditor to verify transactions related to the project and to ensure that all funds due to the local authority were properly accounted for.
Following a detailed audit, the findings were presented to the council on 25 August 2021.
The report, that was never made public in its completed form, did not contain any specific findings that implicated Haingura or any evidence of his alleged involvement in the missing funds.
Consequently, Haingura, along with other suspended employees, was reinstated.
In the apology issued by Victoria Kapenda, the municipality’s current chief executive officer, the local authority acknowledged that the allegations had created a misleading perception.
“Any perception, which may have been created at the time, that Mr Haingura was involved in the misappropriation of funds, is regretted,” Kapenda stated.
The apology last week ended the years-long battle for Haingura, whose professional reputation was tainted by the widely publicised allegations.
While the official audit report absolved him of any wrongdoing, the damage to his name and career had already been done, leading him to seek legal recourse.
Haingura’s lawsuit sought compensation for defamation, arguing that the allegations had caused irreparable harm to his standing in the community.
The Mass Land Servicing Project was initiated to address the urgent demand for affordable housing in Walvis Bay.
However, the project became embroiled in controversy when reports of missing funds surfaced, casting a shadow over municipal operations.
The ACC’s investigation and the subsequent audit were aimed at restoring public confidence in the financial management of the initiative.
After tendering the public apology, Kapenda said that the municipality will now shift to ensuring that municipal projects are managed with the transparency and accountability that the residents of Walvis Bay expect.
