The chairperson of the Board postponed the Meatco special members’ meeting that was scheduled to take place on Friday, 12 August 2016 until further notice about an hour before the meeting was set to start. While the nomination process was set in motion by the line Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry on 4 July, Meatco was re-classified to resort under the Ministry of Public Enterprises on 17 July 2016.

Meatco Namibia members

In a statement dated 11 August 2016 addressed to Meatco members and read by the company secretary, the Chairperson Martha Namundjembo-Tilahun said: “As per Cabinet Decision No.12 /19.07.16/002, Meatco now resorts under the Ministry of Public Enterprises. On the advice of the two respective ministers, the board nomination process is postponed until further notice.”

Speaking on behalf of the board, Meatco director Ronald Kubas informed members that in terms of the Meatco Act there is still time to convene another members’ meeting for nominations, since such a meeting must be convened within 60 days from the date that the Chairperson receives a request from the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry. The 60 days expire on 4 September 2016.

Board member Ronald Kubas and CEO Vekuii Rukoro

However, members were of the opinion that the reason provided by the chairperson to postpone the meeting were not sound because by law, a change in reporting lines will not have an impact on the nomination process. Members also posed several questions that board members present were unable to respond to. For example, the board members were not able to provide a timeline in terms of when the relevant laws will be amended that will empower Hon. Leon Jooste from the Ministry of Public Enterprises with the mandate to appoint the Meatco board.

Furthermore, the members felt that the chairperson should have convened the special members’ meeting and then brought a formal motion to postpone the meeting. Such a motion would then have been voted on by members. They were therefore of the opinion that since it was a members’ meeting and the chairperson is merely a convenor of such a meeting, they were mandated to proceed , especially given that there was a quorum present.

The members nominated former Meatco board member Diethelm Metzger to chair the proceedings and the meeting began by introducing the nominees for possible appointment to the Meatco board. The results were as follows:
In the Commercial category Harold Erasmus received the most votes followed by Stephanus Oosthuizen (current co-opted board member). In the Communal category Ingenesia Murangi came out tops followed by Amon Ngavetene. The two experts that received the highest number of endorsements were Martin Hilbert followed by former Meatco chairperson Clara Bohitile.

Nominees in the various categories

Following the nomination process, Meatco members indicated that these names would be hand delivered to the current Meatco chairperson Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun as well as the two ministers, namely John Mutorwa (Agriculture, Water and Forestry) and Leon Jooste (Public Enterprises).

The term of the current board expires on 3 October 2016.

In terms of section 5(3), Mutorwa determined that two individuals (one male and one female) are to be nominated for the positions referred to in Section 5(1) (b), (c), (d) and (e) of the Meat Corporation of Namibia Act, 2001. He said that the nominated members should represent the interests of the workers union (NAFAU), communal farmers (NNFU), commercial farmers (NAU), as well as communal and commercial livestock producers.

A strict timeline was to be adhered to and the key factors were as follows:

• 25 July 2016 – Meatco to submit list of members
• 31 August – Submission of nominations and CVs by chairperson to minister
• September 2016 – Consideration and appointment of new Meatco board of directors as endorsed by cabinet.
• October 2016 – Finalization of appointment and official inauguration of new board of directors.

Meatco members and producers