A faction of the /Khomanin set to march to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development building tomorrow, demanding answers from minister James Sankwasa over what they describe as long-standing unresolved concerns within the traditional community. The march is expected to bring approximately 1 000 /Khomanin community members to the ministry, according to the steering committee, which says it wants Sankwasa to respond to petitions and documents submitted to his office concerning the leadership of the community and the management of its affairs.
Shaun Asprilla Gariseb, acting head of the /Khomanin steering committee, said the community had exhausted other avenues and now wanted a formal response from the minister.
“We have taken our position, and he must respond in writing after the committee has assessed our documents. We sit with responses from his office,” Gariseb said.
The planned demonstration comes amid an escalating dispute between the community and the ministry over the removal of Gaos Julienne Gawanas as chief of the /Khomanin Traditional Community.
Members of the community have relied on Section 8(1) of the Traditional Authorities Act 25 of 2000 in pursuing Gawanas’ removal. In April, New Era reported that 634 members voted in favour of removing Gawanas and her traditional council, while 69 voted for them to remain in office.
The community said the vote was overseen by independent candidate Simon Gaiseb from the Erongo region.
However, Sankwasa has since distanced his ministry from the process, saying his office did not sanction the election and that he was not aware of who appointed the person who oversaw the vote.
“Someone appointed to oversee elections should be neutral. And all these other aspects that need to be considered before the election. [Therefore], who appointed him or her to oversee them?” Sankwasa questioned. The minister’s comments have angered the steering committee, which maintains that the community was not required to obtain permission from his ministry to conduct the vote.
Gariseb said the committee had informed the ministry and other stakeholders about the process and invited them to participate as observers.
“We don’t need permission from him to hold an election or elections to be sanctioned by him. Nothing in the Traditional Authorities Act 25 of 2000 says so,” he said.
The committee also says its concerns extend beyond the disputed vote. According to Gariseb, the community has submitted documentation to the ministry outlining what it considers sufficient grounds for Gawanas’ removal and is awaiting a formal response.
“We have provided sufficient reasons which more than warrant the removal of Julienne Gawanas, whom we don’t consider our chief anymore,” he said.
Community members have previously accused Gawanas and her council of abuse of power, illegal land sales and mismanagement of community funds.
Gawanas’ representatives have rejected the allegations.
Her advisor, Walter Haseb, previously described the removal process as illegal and denied that the traditional authority had sold communal land or mismanaged community funds.
“The queen has never sold land, and there are no funds that have been mismanaged,” Haseb said previously, challenging those with evidence of wrongdoing to report the matter to law enforcement authorities.
The current dispute follows a January meeting at AI Steenkamp Primary School, where more than 700 /Khomanin community members gathered to discuss concerns about the leadership of the traditional authority.
The meeting resulted in a resolution to pursue the removal of Gawanas and her council.
The steering committee has also raised concerns about a financial audit covering the past 15 years, which it wants the ministry to address.
Gariseb has accused Sankwasa of failing to properly engage with the documents submitted to his office.
“Maybe he doesn’t read and only talks, but that’s dangerous leadership,” he said. He further accused the minister of treating traditional communities differently, referring to what he described as Sankwasa’s handling of the Daure Daman case.
“He has also caused bad precedents in the Daure Daman case. It’s like he respects some traditional communities over others,” Gariseb said.
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