End of the road for Eckart Demasius

After a career of twenty-two years at the helm of the Swa-kopmund municipality, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Swakopmund Municipality, Mr Eckart De-masius, will see his last day in office on 9 May this year, fol-lowing confirmation the Swakopmund Town Council will not be renewing his five-year contract.
Demasius was appointed town engineer of the Swakopmund municipality in 1992, and was then appointed Chief Executive Officer. Demasius is known as an old-school public administrator and tongue-in-the-cheek always insisted to be known by the title of Town Clerk and not as the Chief Executive Officer.
In the corridors of the Swakopmund municipality there was much debate this week over Demasius’ immediate future. There are those who supported the decision and saw no other path than for Demasius to part with the Swakopmund Municipality at day-end 9 May.
The majority consulted though felt he still has much to give at the age of 62 to the town’s administration, and was supporting the alternative of Demasius assuming the position as the interim-Chief Executive Officer.
“At least till we have clarity on the possible amendments to the Local Authorities Act”, said a municipal yesterday on condition of anonymity and quite unaware of the uncertainty with such amendment bill after the National Council earlier this week rejected the amendment bill. In this particular event the amendment bill, if passed by Parliament and signed into law, would have given the sole authority of appointing local authority CEO’s to the Minister of Urban and Rural Development. Now this decision is still vested in local authority councils.
Demasius could not be reached for comment yesterday, as he is out of office on a visit to Namibia’s South.