State broadcaster takes Parliament to court

The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation’s decision to take Parliament to court has been slammed as a waste of public funds. According to The Namibian, the legal challenge stems from a report published on 18 February regarding a Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) strike that took place from April to May 2021, disrupting radio and television broadcasts. In the report, a parliamentary committee said the strike was the result of the payment of N$5.4m ($297 475) in executive bonuses while employees’ demands for salary increases were denied. NBC director-general Stanley Similo, in an affidavit, claims the parliamentary committee failed to consider the broadcaster’s comprehensive representations regarding the strike. He says the report lacks factual support and sufficient evidence for its findings. Similo wants the High Court to disregard the parliamentary report, and is also asking for ‘relief and costs’. Minister of Information & Communication Technology Emma Theofelus on Wednesday said the ministry was discussing the matter with the NBC board. Outgoing President Nangolo Mbumba has urged politicians to fight their battles in the National Assembly rather than courtrooms, according to a second report in The Namibian.

First report in The Namibian

Second report in The Namibian