Niël Terblanché
DEREK Klazen, the new Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources has resigned as a director of Aluhe Fishing (Pty) Ltd in February 2020.
Klazen also resigned as director and shareholder of KKNU Holdings (Pty) Ltd and as a trustee of the KKNU Endowment Trust when he was informed that President Hage Geingob appointed him as Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
President Geingob announced Klazen’s appointment on Wednesday. The President also redeployed Frans Kapofi as minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs and Dr. Albert Kawana as Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security in order to get a grip on rampant allegations of corruption and maladministration.
In a statement, Klazen debunked inferences that he is a shareholder of Omualu Fishing (Pty) Limited and that he facilitated the sale of large tracts of land to the same company while he was the Mayor of Walvis Bay.
“In the interest of complete honesty and transparency, I penned this response as it relates to the allegations of me having served as either a director or a shareholder of Omualu Fishing,” he stated.
Klazen went ahead and set out his interest in the fishing industry and said that while he was still employed as a teacher in 2010 that he and others formed a company that then applied for fishing rights.
He stated that he held a 25% stake in KKNU Holdings (Pty) Ltd. According to Klazen KKNU Holdings held a 70% stake in the KKNU Endowment Trust. The stake was later reduced to 60%.
The KKNU Endowment Trust holds a 33.33% shareholding in Aluhe Fishing (Pty) Ltd. and he said that the company was awarded fishing rights in December of 2011 and that the rights became effective in January 2012.
“Is served as a director in KKNU Holdings and in Aluhe Fishing, and as a trustee of the KKNU Endowment Trust. I resigned as director of Aluhe Fishing in February 2020,” Klazen stated.
He said that when he was informed about his appointment as Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, he immediately resigned as both a director and shareholder of KKNU Holdings and trustee of KKNU Endowment Trust.
“I consequently commenced the process of disposing of my shares in KKNU Holdings in terms of its shareholders’ agreement,” he stated.
Klazen made it clear that he declared his shareholding and directorship while he was serving in Parliament.
“Accordingly, I have at no time served as a director or shareholder at Omualu Fishing nor do I hold any interest in any fishing company,” he stated.
With regards to the sale of bulk land to Omualu Fishing, Klazen said that at the Municipality of Walvis Bay the council consists of ten councilors, who during council meetings pass resolutions on land and other matters.
“As such no single councilor can facilitate an approval for land to an applicant or a group of applicants,” he stated.
He made it clear that he never facilitated the sale of land to Omualu Fishing while serving as Mayor or as an ordinary councilor.
