Renthia Kaimbi
A trip undertaken by Henties Bay municipal officials to Lüderitz cost the council N$200 000.
Documents obtained by the Windhoek Observer show that the delegation was made up of eleven officials, including seven councillors, the acting chief executive officer Ignasia Neis, strategic executive for technical services Emely Tjombumbi, council administrator Erenstine Seibes and property officer Erich Gaoseb.
The group travelled to Lüderitz from 28 October to 1 November 2025.
The stated purpose of the trip was to meet with the Lüderitz Waterfront Development Company and Hyphen Hydrogen Energy.
Community members discovered the trip after visiting the council offices on unrelated service delivery matters.
The trip’s high cost came mainly from subsistence and travel allowances, with each official claiming close to N$20 000.
Most indicated they would use their own vehicles, raising more questions about the spending.
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa said he had not approved the trip, as required by law.
“The law says councillors must obtain permission to travel, and without that permission, they will pay it (S&T) back. That’s the law. They have to pay back that money because they never had permission to travel,” he said.
Sankwasa also questioned the timing of the trip, coming just weeks before the regional and local authority elections on 26 November 2025.
“And travelling when it’s only a few weeks before it’s time to vote doesn’t really make sense. What knowledge are you going to gain from that travelling that you are going to implement?” he said.
He added that while the government supports travel aimed at improving service delivery, the purpose of this trip was unclear.
The trip controversy follows another issue involving the council’s decision to advertise the sale of 100 hectares of land to Aetheria Strategic Investments (Pty) Ltd for N$10 million, despite a directive from the ministry halting such transactions.
Sankwasa reiterated that land cannot be sold without ministerial approval.
“Council only resolves as a recommendation. A council resolution is a recommendation to the ministry to say, ‘We intend to sell this piece of land for so much’… The law is clear when it says no land must be sold without prior written approval of the minister. If there is no approval, even that investor is wasting his time,” he said.
Sankwasa noted that the council must address objections to the planned development before any sale can proceed.
The Windhoek Observer verified that the meetings did take place.
The head of communication and stakeholder relations at Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, Ricardo Goagoseb, confirmed that the delegation paid a courtesy visit to their office.
Lüderitz Waterfront Development Company chief executive officer Fluksman Samuehl also confirmed discussions on a potential waterfront development project in Henties Bay.
