Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda has raised serious questions about a N$3 million fuel supply transaction involving August 26 Holdings, alleging that a foreign truck delivered fuel to the Osona military base without the necessary transport authorisation. According to Amupanda, the defence ministry required fuel for Osona military base and approached August 26, which allegedly brought in several intermediary companies.
Amupanda questioned how August 26 Holdings came to be involved in supplying fuel to the ministry of defence despite allegedly not holding a fuel supply licence. He alleged that August 26 subsequently invoiced the ministry approximately N$3 million for the fuel, while the actual delivery was undertaken by Bridge Water Oil and Gas on behalf of one of the intermediary companies, Sunrise Investments CC.
Amupanda further alleged that his team’s investigations found that the truck used to deliver the fuel had not received permission from the ministry of works and transport to undertake the delivery. He questioned whether the vehicle had obtained the necessary authorisation to transport goods within Namibia, particularly given the country’s cross-border road transport regulations.
The Road Traffic and Transport Act of 1999 regulates cross-border road transport and prohibits unauthorised cabotage by foreign carriers. Amupanda questioned whether the truck complied with this Act, and whether it had the necessary permits to operate in Namibia. He also raised concerns about the security implications of a foreign truck entering a military base without proper clearance.
Beyond the security implications, Amupanda alleged that the truck was not charged the applicable taxes and levies associated with the fuel supply and transport transaction. He questioned whether the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA), Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA Fund), Roads Fund Administration (RFA) and National Energy Fund (NEF) received the payments due to them.
Amupanda also questioned why the truck allegedly operated without visible company identification, contrasting this with the strict enforcement measures that ordinary motorists and commercial operators face on Namibian roads. He further linked the alleged irregularities to August 26’s reported change of banking arrangements from Nedbank to Bank Windhoek, suggesting that the move was connected to the alleged corruption.
August 26 Holdings’ acting chief executive, David Brown, has previously responded to allegations surrounding the company’s defence ministry fuel contract, denying corruption and overcharging. The company has also cited delayed government payments for fuel deliveries.
Key points
- August 26 Holdings allegedly invoiced the ministry of defence N$3 million for fuel supply without proper transport authorisation.
- A foreign truck was used to deliver fuel to the Osona military base, raising concerns about security and regulatory compliance.
- The fuel supply transaction may have resulted in lost revenue for the government due to unpaid taxes and levies.
