Erongo RED board member Irene Simeon-Kurtz has called for the immediate withdrawal of the appointment of Immanuel !Hanabeb as the incoming Chief Executive Officer of Erongo RED, citing a flawed recruitment process.
“I have reason to believe that the recruitment process for a new CEO was tampered with and that the decision to appoint Mr !Hanabeb was not taken in accordance with the requisite provisions of the company recruitment and selection policy and/or rules. The decision is therefore unlawful and should be rescinded as it violates administrative justice as contemplated by Article 18 of the Namibian Constitution…,” Simeon-Kurtz said in a letter addressed to Erongo Red Board Chairperson Zoe Nambahu.
“I therefore demand that the employment offer be withdrawn, and the contract be cancelled with immediate effect.”
The letter was also copied to the Minister of Mines and Energy, Minister of Urban and Rural Development and the Minister of Labour of Labour Industrialisation and Employment Creation.
Simeon-Kurtz alleges that, “Mr !Hanabeb was not part of the initial list of shortlisted candidates as presented by Elite consulting, his absence queried by a board of directors.”
Among some of the allegations raised by Simeon-Kurtz, include that the full board of Erongo Red was not present as is required during the interview process, while various processes required as part of recruitment process were ignored.
“The interview outcome or submission to the Board with recommendations to appoint or resolution signed off by all board members confirming the appointment is not shared with all directors. The recommendations to appoint the scoresheets seems not to be signed off by all board members,” the letter read.
“An unlawful recruitment drive was started, and a flawed recruitment procedure adopted which effectively disadvantaged other candidates who also applied for the CEO job. -Legal representation used by the company favouring one law firm ENS Africa is of grave concern.”
Simeon-Kurtz has also called for a corruption case to be opened with Anti-Corruption Commission, “to investigate, possible practice of corruption and /or corrupt conduct of side stepping of recruitment procedures and/or processes, by both, implicated employees and board members for gratification purposes as well as the leaking of the audio clips in circulation.”
!Hanabeb who currently serves as the Executive for Corporate Services at the Roads Authority, was appointed to succeed Fessor Mbango as from the 1st of June 2022.
The latest development regarding the appointment of the new CEO, comes as Mbango has approached the courts over the electricity distribution company’s decision not to renew his contract.
