Africa-Press – Namibia. The interim executive chairperson of the National Youth Council (NYC), Beverly Silas-Garas, says allegations questioning the legality of her appointment are part of a smear campaign.
Silas-Garas dismissed allegations challenging the legality of her appointment, calling them a politically motivated campaign aimed at undermining her credibility ahead of the NYC board appointments scheduled for 19 June.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Silas-Garas said her appointment is fully compliant with the country’s governance laws, including the Public Service Act of 1995 and the Public Enterprises Governance Act of 2019.
“These coordinated allegations are not only misleading but also part of a broader campaign to destabilise the Council’s operations and manipulate public sentiment as the interim term draws to a close,” she said.
The NYC has experienced governance disputes since late 2024.
On 13 December 2024, the then minister of sport, youth, and national service, Agnes Tjongarero, dissolved the NYC board, citing dysfunction.
Six days later, on 19 December, the High Court suspended the decision due to procedural flaws.
Despite this, the minister appointed an interim board on 20 December, with Silas-Garas as the only retained member from the previous board.
The interim board’s role has been to stabilise the NYC and prepare for the upcoming General Assembly.
During this period, the Council has faced protests and criticism from civil society groups and former board members who dispute the interim board’s legitimacy and have demanded the reinstatement of the dissolved board.
Silas-Garas said her appointment followed all legal and procedural requirements.
She is the only member who completed ministerial approval processes for remuneration outside the public service, pending final endorsement from the Public Service Commission (PSC).
“I have operated transparently and within the legal framework. My leave is approved by the Ministry of Justice’s Executive Director, and I have submitted all necessary documentation to the PSC since January 2025,” she stated.
She detailed her involvement with the NYC since November 2021 as a board director until December 2024, followed by her current role as interim and executive chairperson.
She has been on unpaid leave from the ministry of justice while performing her NYC duties.
She said a board resolution on remuneration requires ministerial approval, which is currently awaiting a PSC recommendation.
“All documents relating to my appointment were submitted to the PSC in January 2025 and remain pending,” she said.
Silas-Garas described the executive chairperson role as full-time but flexible.
She called for legislative changes to the NYC act to clearly define governance structures and avoid future confusion.
She confirmed she will not seek reappointment once the interim term ends in June and stressed that future appointments should be based on merit.
“Let us not allow political agendas to cloud what should be a clear and legal process of reform. The NYC must be a platform of integrity and youth development, not factional power struggles,” she said.
Silas-Garas appealed for calm and cooperation from all stakeholders as the NYC transitions into new leadership.
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