By Timo Shihepo
23 September 2024
The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) has ‘quietly’ paid out an alleged N$700 000 settlement to its former head of investment facilitation.
The payment was made as part of a confidential settlement agreement reached after a Labour Court arbitration proceeding.
The employee, Bonaventura Hinda, filed a claim of constructive dismissal against the NIPDB in 2023.
The matter appeared for arbitration proceedings the week of 12 to 16 August, alleging that the employee had been forced to resign from their position.
The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation last week confirmed the settlement.
“No verdict was given on the matter. During the arbitration proceedings, both parties to the matter had ongoing caucus sessions and as a result thereof, the parties managed to reach a settlement which was deemed as confidential,” ministry of labour spokesperson Maria Hedimbi said.
She added: “Thus, the dispute was withdrawn after the settlement. The matter was removed from the case roll since it has been withdrawn.”
Hinda couldn’t comment on the matter because of the confidentiality clause in the settlement.
“I am not allowed to speak and I really don’t want this matter to be in the media,” she says.
Hinda has been working abroad (South Africa and France) through the Namibia Investment Centre under the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade until 2021.
Her LinkedIn account indicates that Hinda worked as a commercial counsellor to France, Italy, Portugal and Spain from 2017 to 2021.
When Hinda returned to Namibia in 2022, she was placed under the then newly created NIPDB. That is when her nightmares allegedly began.
Sources say Hinda was forced to resign in November 2023 due to unfavourable work conditions at NIPDB.
When The Namibian contacted her again to confirm these allegations, Hinda insisted that she cannot speak on the matter.
Labour Court information, however, collaborated with the sources’ information that the disputes lodged, among others, was that of constructive dismissal.
NIPDB spokesperson Catherine Shipushu also could not comment, citing confidentiality as the reason.
“Thank you for your enquiry. Kindly note that this is a confidential internal matter, the details of which we cannot disclose, with due respect to the rights of the parties involved.”
