The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, has warned local authorities against irregular and unprocedural staff appointments.

Uutoni sounded the warning following a closed-door engagement with political office bearers and the administration of the Karasburg Town Council over controversies surrounding the appointments of the Acting CEO and Personal Assistant to the Mayor.
 
The Council headhunted Kallie Goliath and appointed him to the PA position, which is non-existent in the structure.

Hansina Isaak, a Human Resources Officer at the Keetmanshoop Municipality, was also seconded as the Council's Acting CEO without the minister's endorsement.

"We advised them to follow the procedures.  We don't want them to break the law because it would be bad for them. Tomorrow, people in the office would break the law, and it would be difficult for them to reprimand because they would say, No, honourable councillors, you are doing this. I thought that was the practise. So we are just trying to prevent all this chaos so that the council can be run professionally. Not that we hate people from outside; we allow people from outside, but we have to go through all those processes."

Minister Uutoni gave them clear directions, which are: "I have given them a letter; it is there; it is not withdrawn; it remains as it is, so now that I have explained to them what they will do, I am not there to say tomorrow I will whip you and do that, but what I have given you is in black and white."

He appreciated the openness of the parties during the engagement.