The Municipality of Walvis Bay narrowly managed to avoid having a vehicle of Council attached by the Deputy Sherriff last Friday, agreeing at the last minute to pay an employee the amount of N$13 541 in study aid he claims he is entitled to.

The Municipality and health practitioner, Victor Kangumu, have been embroiled in a Labour Court battle since last year over a study loan with which Kangumu wants to complete a Masters Degree in Law. The Municipality of Walvis Bay maintains it is not obliged to provide Kangumu with the loan, because his legal studies are not in support of his work as a health practitioner in the Department of Health and Environmental Affairs. The Municipality’s education, training and development policy only makes provision for study grants where the studies are applicable to the applicant’s current job function. On the other hand Kangumu had already been erroneously granted a study loan to study for the Law degree. Despite the error to grant him a law study grant in the first place, the Municipality of Walvis Bay nevertheless honoured its commitment and allowed Kangumu to study for law and supported him with paid study leave as well. Kangumu completed his Llb Degree in 2009 and then applied for a grant to pursue a Masters Degree in Law. When the Municipality refused him the grant, he felt the matter was unsatisfactorily dealt with internally and Kangumu went to the Labour Court. In August last year an arbitration was made in favour of Kangumu and he subsequently applied for an enforcement of the arbitration to obtain the grant money, set at N$13 541. A writ of execution was issued and compelled the Deputy Sherriff of Walvis Bay last week to attach a Council vehicle, but the Municipality decided instead to pay the money to Kangumu. Meanwhile the Municipality’s lawyer, Richard Metcalfe, maintains that there is no truth therein that he filed an appeal against the arbitration outcome too late. Metcalfe says the matter is still on the roll and although Kangumu is receiving a payment the money will be demanded back from him if the Municipality wins the appeal.