Walvis Bay municipality confirms employee suspensions in RedForce saga
Written by on May 8, 2024
The Municipality of Walvis Bay on Wednesday issued a statement in which it confirmed that its general manager of finance, Frans !Gonteb, and manager of finance, Johanna Shidute, have been suspended from their duties.
The decision to suspend them was made at a Walvis Bay Town Council meeting on Tuesday.
The municipality announced that the two officials were suspended to allow a full investigation to be done into the appointment of RedForce Debt Management to collect debts on behalf of the municipality.
“The Municipal Council of Walvis Bay wishes to make it pertinently clear that no imputations of any nature are being made against the suspended employees. Their suspensions have been effected to allow for full and unimpeded investigation of the appointment of RedForce Debt Management CC and the operations of Redforce Debt Management CC in Walvis Bay in terms of such appointment as speedily as possible,” the municipality’s statement reads.
The local authority also said RedForce has given notice that it is taking legal action in the High Court about the cancellation of its consultancy service agreement with the municipality.
The local authority said it has given instructions to the law firm Metcalfe Beukes Attorneys to oppose the action and institute a counterclaim against Redforce.
It further stated that RedForce has been notified that it may no longer disconnect or reconnect municipal water services or conduct water meter readings at Walvis Bay.
Such duties are exclusively reserved for the municipal council in terms of the Local Authorities Act, the municipality said.
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