By Tileni Mongudhi | 31 August 2021
MINISTER of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta has hand-picked businessman Laban Kandume’s company to exclusively transport travellers into the Namib Desert’s renowned Sossusvlei area.
This is set to affect the income of the struggling state-owned Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), which may lose as much as N$10 million a year.
NWR has been instructed to partner with Sky Eye Hospitality and Tours, a company that is 75% owned by Kandume, who has a reputation for securing multimillion-dollar tenders at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform.
Fillemon Hasheela is the other shareholder, with a 25% stake.
Shifeta declined to comment on the issue and referred queries to the ministry’s spokesperson and executive director.
NWR was not informed of what was afoot, and the contract was never advertised.
The Sossusvlei 4×4 shuttle concession is for transporting tourists and visitors along a 5 km stretch to Deadvlei in the Namib Naukluft Park.
Travellers drive the 90 km from the Sesriem gate, but the final 5 km to Deadvlei requires 4×4 vehicles.
NWR offers game-viewing shuttle vehicles.
It also has the advantage of clients being able to enjoy sundowners and the sunrise at Deadvlei – a privilege guests at other lodges miss as they may only enter the park gates after sunrise and must leave before sunset.
NWR has generated around N$10 million a year from this concession. Sources at NWR says during the peak tourist season the shuttle service rakes in about N$1,5 million a month.
This was before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
NWR was informed by executive director of environment, forestry and tourism Theo Nghitila in April last year that it would no longer have the exclusive right to the shuttle service.
In a letter seen by The Namibian, Nghitila informed NWR managing director Matthias Ngwangwama of the ministry’s decision.
“The honourable minister [Shifeta] has awarded a concession to Sky Eye Hospitality and Tours (SEHT) to operate shuttle services at the Sossusvlei area in the form of motorised passenger transport,” says Nghitila’s letter, dated 7 April 2020.
The letter came only six months after Sky Eye Hospitality and Tours was registered.
The executive director further instructed NWR to work with Sky Eye Hospitality and Tours.
“The ministry fully recognises the role Namib (sic) Wildlife Resorts (NWR) plays in the current shuttling of passengers, hence the aforementioned concession is awarded on condition that SEHT engages NWR to see how you can work together,” Nghitila stated.
Sources criticised the decision, saying Sky Eye Hospitality and Tours offered no experience or value.
Despite NWR having operated the Sossusvlei four-wheel drive shuttle concession for more than a decade, the ministry insists it never granted the parastatal such rights to begin with.
IN THE DARK
The Namibian understands that NWR has not been given any supporting documents to explain how the ministry came to this conclusion.
A source told The Namibian NWR requested Nghitila to furnish it with supporting documents, including Sky Eye Hospitality’s proposal or business plan – to no avail.
The parastatal also pleaded with the ministry to reconsider the decision since any revenue loss would be detrimental to its operations.
NWR is on the verge of sending home close to 100 employees. It is also considering salary cuts across the board after cutting management’s pay by 20% last year.
Environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda last week said: “Namibia Wildlife Resorts has never had exclusive rights to these services and has never been a concession holder for these services.”
Muyunda said previous tourism and environmental experience is not a requirement for “unsolicited” proposals as in Sky Eye Hospitality and Tours’ case.
He said the ministry considers innovation and uniqueness.
Muyunda said the bidding company’s financial capacity to deliver the promised services is also considered.
“It should be noted that concessions are an important tool to enhance the economic empowerment of previously disadvantaged Namibians and their entrance into the tourism industry,” he added.
Former NWR and tourism ministry officials told The Namibian this month that such rights existed.
One version is that former president Hifikepunye Pohamba granted NWR exclusivity or first right of refusal to all concessions within national parks.
NWR allegedly has no choice but to partner with an unknown, but politically connected, company if it is to avoid being elbowed out of its much-needed revenue-generating rights.
According to a person familiar with Kandume’s unsolicited proposal, Sky Eye offered eco-friendly transport solutions.
Kandume’s outfit reportedly intends setting up a cable car and a helium balloon system, ostensibly to ensure minimum damage to the environment.
Kandume said he approached the ministry after noticing the destruction caused by off-road vehicles in the Namib Desert, especially around Sossusvlei and Deadvlei.
He also shot down claims that his new venture’s lack of tourism experience was an issue.
“The concept does not require experience in tourism in the ordinary sense,” he said.
He insisted that everything was done above board.
Kandume has been a main player in securing agriculture ministry tenders.
The Namibian reported in May this year that his company benefited from a N$180 million government contract for an incomplete fresh-produce market overlooking one of the poorest informal settlements in Windhoek.
His company was also allegedly involved in the construction of the agricultural ministry’s new head office in Windhoek.
Kandume’s company, Uundenge Agri Farm, also partnered with Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary Ephraim Nekongo in the past.
“Uundenge” means siblings in Oshiwambo.
In 2017, Kandume’s Uundenge Investments CC was a subcontractor for debushing at Katima Farm and at the Liselo irrigation project in the Zambezi region.
* This article was produced by The Namibian’s Investigative Unit and the Advancement of Journalism Centre. Send story tips via your secure email to [email protected].
I’d have got to check with you here. Which isn’t some thing Which i do! I quite like reading a post that can make people think. Also, thank you for permitting me to comment!
A person made some nice factors there. I did a search about the issue as well as discovered nearly just about all individuals goes together with together with your blog.
Design Strategies for Tiny Females Covers together with nice knitted feel, laces, tiny flower prints as well as plaids ought to be provided choice.
I haven?t checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend
Your own situation you will capable company the best way to keep here in preparing important subjects good for web-based corporation. cash
I’d have to consult with you here. Which isn’t some thing Which i do! I love to reading an article that may get people to believe. Also, many thanks for allowing me to comment!
Outstanding read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I discovered it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
I got what you intend,bookmarked , very decent internet site .
i appreciate you for blogging!. “Whatever you fear most has no power – it is your fear that has the power.” by Oprah Winfrey..
I precisely wanted to thank you so much once again. I’m not certain what I might have used without the suggestions documented by you concerning such topic. This has been an absolute horrifying circumstance in my circumstances, however , looking at a well-written mode you processed that forced me to jump with gladness. Now i am thankful for the guidance and thus hope you are aware of a great job you happen to be undertaking instructing people by way of your web blog. I am sure you haven’t encountered any of us.
I need assist with criticism. The problem I have with it, I consider it to seriously and it ends up getting to me and lowering my self-esteem large time. I require assist finding ways to get over what individuals say that ends up hurting my feelings. Any advice? Thanks.
I wanted to draft you this tiny remark to help give many thanks once again considering the beautiful methods you’ve documented on this website. It’s simply wonderfully open-handed with you to deliver unreservedly just what most people might have marketed as an electronic book to earn some dough for their own end, mostly considering the fact that you could have tried it if you considered necessary. These smart ideas also worked as a good way to be certain that other people online have a similar interest really like my personal own to know the truth way more on the subject of this condition. I am certain there are a lot more pleasurable times ahead for folks who start reading your site.
Pourquoi ne pas citer de la question qui tient l’au à coeur occupe pluralité des memebres? le sujet essentiel des derniers trimestres au sujet du communiqué des modernismes…
You created some decent points there. I looked on the web for that problem and discovered most people may go as well as with your website.
I discovered your blog post site on google and check a few of your early posts. Always keep in the great operate. I simply extra the RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Looking for toward reading much more on your part at a later date!…
Great articles and great layout. Your blog post deserves all of the positive feedback it’s been getting.
Simply killing some in between class time on Digg and I found your article . Not usually what I prefer to examine, but it was absolutely price my time. Thanks.
hello there and thanks in your info – I have definitely picked up something new from right here. I did on the other hand expertise some technical points using this site, as I experienced to reload the website a lot of times previous to I may get it to load properly. I had been puzzling over in case your web host is OK? No longer that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will often impact your placement in google and can injury your quality score if advertising and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Well I’m including this RSS to my email and could look out for a lot extra of your respective exciting content. Ensure that you replace this again very soon..
Have you already setup a fan page on Facebook ?”`”.’
I located your web site this morning and so i have always been following the following fairly often. You do have a great deal of helpful tips listed here and i absolutely adore your thing within the web in the process. Sustain especially if they your job!
Iím not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back in the future. Cheers
Howdy, May I grab that photo and usage it on my website?
is it possible to get a better song than that
After I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I get four emails with the identical comment. Is there any way you’ll be able to remove me from that service? Thanks!
After study many of the blog posts on your own internet site now, and i genuinely much like your means of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark internet site list and are checking back soon. Pls check out my website as well and let me know what you think.
I appreciate your wordpress web template, wherever would you down load it from?
Im no professional, but I think you just made the best point. You naturally comprehend what youre speaking about, and I can seriously get behind that. Thanks for staying so upfront and so truthful.
Thanks for the information provided! I was finding for this information for a long time, but I wasn’t able to find a reliable source.
Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Hey! Good stuff, please keep us posted when you post something like that!
sometimes skinny jeans are not comfortable to wear, i would always prefer to use loos jeans,,
I believe other website owners should take this internet site as an model, very clean and excellent user pleasant style and design.
Hiya! Fantastic blog! I happen to be a daily visitor to your site (somewhat more like addict ) of this website. Just wanted to say I appreciate your blogs and am looking forward for more to come!
It seems too complicated and very broad for me to understand.
Thanks for sharing this good piece. Very inspiring! (as always, btw)
Currently it looks like Drupal is the top blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?
Thanks for sharing your ideas. One thing is that individuals have an option between fed student loan and also a private education loan where it can be easier to opt for student loan online debt consolidation than over the federal education loan.
I discovered your blog internet site on google and appearance a few of your early posts. Always keep inside the good operate. I simply extra the RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Looking for forward to reading a lot more by you down the line!…
I am thankful that I found this website , precisely the right info that I was searching for! .
nowadays we would always use eco-friendly stuffs like, eco friendly foods, shoes and bags::