Dirk Maes, a Belgian national currently developing a lodge at the Pelican Point lighthouse might have overstepped his boundaries this time. Informanté is in possession of a contract confirming Maes has been illegally employing a foreign worker as project manager at Pelican Point since 7 April this year. Maes allegedly treated the man so inhumanely and refused him the right to leave Pelican Point, that he was left no alternative than to secretly escape with the assistance of an overseas friend who has local connections.

Informanté has it on authority that the foreigner, identified as Kris de Facq, became so desperate on Tuesday that he phoned a friend in Belgium with a plea that someone from Walvis Bay should be sent to pick him up. De Facq and Maes have reportedly been caught up in bitter arguments for two weeks as Maes was not satisfied with de Facq’s work and demanded certain monies be paid back to him [Maes]. He refused Facq the right to leave Pelican Point unless the money is paid over.
De Facq spent several weeks alone at Pelican Point while Maes returned to Walvis Bay each night. The living-conditions were sub-standard, with no running hot water or decent meals and he became increasingly concerned that Maes would physically harm him. For the foreign worker it was sheer hell, as he has no knowledge on how to survive in harsh desert conditions. Between him and freedom stood eight kilometers of ocean and nearly forty kilometers of desert sands. The place is so secluded that he could only leave safely by vehicle or by boat and Maes refused.
On Tuesday evening, shortly after Maes left for Walvis Bay, De Facq decided to take action. He managed to establish contact with a friend in Belgium, who knows local tour operator Herman Neethling from a visit to Namibia some months ago. Neethling drove to Pelican Point on Wednesday morning and picked up de Facq. De Facq had phoned him on Wednesday morning and pleaded with him to pick him up early, preferably before Maes arrives as he was scared of what would happen if he tried to leave.
Maes arrived before Neethling at Pelican Point, but was oblivious to the fact that De Facq was about to abscond. After he was safely in Walvis Bay he immediately left for Belgium, as Maes employed him without a work visa. Informanté made attempts to call Maes on Wednesday to obtain his version of events, but the calls went unanswered.
Recently Maes had two of his Namibian foremen arrested on allegations of theft. One of the foremen, Karl Stockigt ‘s case was thrown out at the Walvis Bay Magistrates Court, based on a lack of evidence and the second foreman, Ian Taljaard, is currently free on bail pending a full investigation. Maes also threatened Informanté with legal action at two occasions, claiming the newspaper published false information about a bad credit record, the abuse of his workers and made statements to the effect that Pelican Point Lodge will only be for foreigners.
Informanté wanted to ask Maes whether it is true that he referred to Walvis Bay as “a mafia town” and to Swakopmund as being run by “the German mafia.”