Renthia Kaimbi
Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp has intervened in a dispute involving former National Youth Council (NYC) director Calista Schwartz-Gowases over an alleged debt of more than N$125 000.
The Windhoek Observer understands that the matter relates to transactions dating back to 2021 and forms part of a broader review of the office of the director.
Schwartz-Gowases’ contract ended on 13 December 2025 after she was informed in July that it would not be renewed. Before her departure, concerns had already been raised about approved international trips and a planned trip that overlapped with her final working days.
On 12 December 2025, a meeting was held to resolve pending issues linked to her office. In a letter to former NYC executive chairperson Dr Kennedy Kariseb, Steenkamp confirmed that she had discussed the matter with Schwartz-Gowases.
In the letter, Steenkamp stated that her office had no objection to the payment of the former director’s pro-rata salary and accumulated leave days. She directed that Schwartz-Gowases be paid for ten working days in December and 55 accumulated leave days.
However, she made it clear that the alleged debt would remain under investigation.
“The outstanding debts owed to that institution remain pending for investigation, and once finalised will be communicated to my office for consideration,” Steenkamp wrote.
The Windhoek Observer has seen a company debt summary shared with Schwartz-Gowases.
The alleged N$125 600.34 includes a salary advance from 2021, payments for Covid-19 tests in 2022, and daily subsistence allowance claims for international trips undertaken in 2023.
Other items listed include an overclaimed study refund, payments for mobile phone adaptors, and a planned trip to Zimbabwe in 2023 that did not take place despite payment being made. The list also includes the purchase of an iPhone 17 Pro Max in 2025.
Correspondence from NYC finance manager Elatfun Hamukoto, dated throughout December 2025 and seen by the Windhoek Observer, shows repeated requests for Schwartz-Gowases to provide proof of payment or valid invoices for the transactions.
Hamukoto indicated that many of the payments were made without supporting documentation.
He cited the Council’s Finance Policy, which requires employees to submit receipts and supporting documents within five working days after returning from official travel. If not submitted, the amounts may be deducted through payroll.
In the same correspondence, Hamukoto pointed to a governance issue. He noted that despite repeated requests and board resolutions to appoint an accountant, Schwartz-Gowases, in her capacity as director, declined to do so for nearly four years. An accountant was only recruited on 16 August 2024 after she was suspended by the then substantive board.
Schwartz-Gowases has rejected the debt claims.
In email correspondence with the finance department, she questioned why the matter was only being raised now.
“The alleged debt of N$125 600.34, purportedly dating back to 2021, is extremely concerning, especially given that I have been employed by the Council for five years and this matter is only being raised now,” Schwartz-Gowases wrote.
She described several of the listed items as “disputable” and not factual. She requested that the alleged debt be fully analysed and independently investigated.
In a separate response, she referred to a 2019 incident where her salary was “wrongly deducted for so-called items not in my possession” and urged the Council to take this into account when calculating any amount owed.
The debt recovery process remains unresolved as the ministry awaits the outcome of the investigation. Steenkamp confirmed the investigation and said it is ongoing.
“[The] letter is indeed signed by me. Everything is a process and this process is ongoing,” she told the Windhoek Observer.
Schwartz-Gowases had not commented further on the matter at the time of publication.
