{"id":88953,"date":"2025-06-11T05:42:19","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T05:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose"},"modified":"2025-06-11T06:02:40","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T06:02:40","slug":"alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose","title":{"rendered":"Alfeus Benjamin: A governance dose"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. <\/strong><\/span>When he is not running one of the country\u2019s busiest local authorities or attending to his family and friends, he is deep into his thoughts, recording and penning.<\/p>\n

For Swakopmund CEO Alfeus Benjamin, writing is more than just a hobby.<\/p>\n

It is a personal outlet, a leadership tool and a way of documenting life\u2019s most complex transitions.<\/p>\n

Benjamin recently launched his third book, Lessons from Local Government.<\/p>\n

The book gives insight into the role of a CEO at mega institutions. In addition, Benjamin authored one of the fan favourites, \u2018Die Nuwe Skoolhoof\u2019, which deals with issues around being a principal at a white school.<\/p>\n

The other book is \u2018Road to Self-discovery\u2019. Recently, New Era\u2019s Evelin de Klerk sat down with Benjamin to tap into his omnipotent well of wisdom.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always call myself an accidental writer. I studied English and always enjoyed reading and following debates.<\/p>\n

Even as a teacher, I was naturally drawn to writing,\u201d Benjamin said during an interview with New Era.<\/p>\n

He credits his family dynamics and teaching background, combined with his involvement in local authorities, for his third book, \u2018Lessons from Local Government\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am a husband and father to four boys. I consider myself blessed to have hundreds of adopted sons and daughters through the relationships I\u2019ve built over the years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Benjamin\u2019s passion for reading was first inspired by African-American authors, such as Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison and Malcolm X.<\/p>\n

As an English major, he later discovered powerful African voices like the late Ngu\u0303gi\u0303 wa Thiong\u2019o and Chinua Achebe.<\/p>\n

Their work deepened his appreciation for storytelling, shaping his identity as an author.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my leadership journey, I\u2019ve drawn wisdom from leaders like Myles Monroe and John Maxwell.<\/p>\n

Lately, I\u2019ve been immersing myself in the works of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, reading everything I can find. I do not have a single favourite author now, as I read broadly \u2013<\/p>\n

especially materials that support personal growth and self-development,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Local governance<\/b><\/p>\n

Benjamin said \u2018Lessons from Local Government\u2019 reflects on his extensive experience and<\/p>\n

knowledge in municipal leadership.<\/p>\n

Drawing from decades of hands-on experience, it blends personal reflections with practical guidance on governance, leadership and community engagement.<\/p>\n

\u201cLocal government is the closest form of government to the people. It is where real change begins. This book is from both the negatives and positives \u2013 the successes and failures I encountered. I hope this book will serve as a resource for those who wish to make a positive impact in their communities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in \u2018Die Nuwe Skoolhoof\u2019, he chronicles his transition from being a teacher to principal of a former white school during a time when racial dynamics were still visibly present in the education sector.<\/p>\n

He said he felt a need to share his encounters and experience, as it is part of what moulded his character.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt that story had to be told. It wasn\u2019t about portraying myself as a victim. It was<\/p>\n

about highlighting the realities of walking into a racially sensitive work environment and how to navigate it,\u201d he reflected on the book.<\/p>\n

Benjamin wrote the book not only to share his experience but also to guide others who may find themselves in similar situations.<\/p>\n

He wants people to read it and say \u2018Watch out for that. Be prepared for this\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about being aware and knowing how to handle certain situations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The book was inspired by letters he wrote to his sons during earlier years.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a father, I wanted to put our family journey into words. I wanted them to know where we come from, what I\u2019ve learnt as a man and what we expect of them. It\u2019s a reflection on identity, values and legacy,\u201d the teacher-turned-technocrat said.<\/p>\n

Benjamin admitted that writing helps him cope with the pressures of his role in public administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a role like this, expectations are high, and the pressure is constant. So, on a quiet day, I write. Sometimes, it\u2019s just thoughts or lessons I\u2019ve learnt,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He is currently working on another book, titled \u2018The Swakopmund Experience\u2019.<\/p>\n

It is a reflective piece on the town\u2019s transformation and unique challenges of municipal leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are aspects of Swakopmund that people don\u2019t see from the outside. Often, they just see a functioning system \u2013 the budget, the progress \u2013 but not the complexities behind it. This book is about telling those untold stories,\u201d Benjamin stated.<\/p>\n

It is his wish to publish the book once his tenure at the municipality culminates.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, I write because I believe in purpose. I was appointed to transform lives, not just administer a town. That mission needs to be documented \u2013 not for praise, but to share what\u2019s possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Namibia<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. When he is not running one of the country\u2019s busiest local authorities or attending to his family and friends, he is deep into his thoughts, recording and penning. For Swakopmund CEO Alfeus Benjamin, writing is more than just a hobby. It is a personal outlet, a leadership tool and a way of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":88952,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,4],"tags":[233],"class_list":["post-88953","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-culture-and-art","tag-namibia"],"yoast_head":"\nAlfeus Benjamin: A governance dose - Namibia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When he is not running one of the country\u2019s busiest local authorities or attending to his family and friends, he is deep ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Alfeus Benjamin: A governance dose\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When he is not running one of the country\u2019s busiest local authorities or attending to his family and friends, he is deep ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Namibia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-11T05:42:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-11T06:02:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/nambia\/sites\/29\/2025\/06\/sm_1749609134.125081.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"473\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Alfeus Benjamin: A governance dose\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-11T05:42:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-11T06:02:40+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose\"},\"wordCount\":821,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/nambia\/sites\/29\/2025\/06\/sm_1749609134.125081.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"namibia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"culture and art\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/alfeus-benjamin-a-governance-dose\",\"name\":\"Alfeus Benjamin: A governance dose - 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