Mbeki warns against negative consequences of Namibia’s oil discoveries

FORMER South African president Thabo Mbeki says Namibia’s oil discoveries require principled political leadership.

“I followed the negative story about the fisheries corruption and allegations of corruption around the matters of fishing and licensing in Namibia. That problem would be multiplied once you have to deal with oil and gas and so on,” he told NBC on Sunday.

Mbeki said in many instances when oil and gas discoveries are made in a country, it has benefits, but also negative consequences.

“It’s a very sensitive matter and requires very principled political leadership,” he said.

Mbeki said the death of president Hage Geingob has left a void, and that his type of leadership is exactly what is needed to properly manage these discoveries.

“I was very glad we had comrade Hage there in the leadership of Namibia as Namibia was making these important discoveries, because they need proper, principled, revolutionary management to make sure those resources are used in the best interests of the people and don’t produce negative consequences,” he said.

Read more in Tuesday’s edition of The Namibian.