The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, has once again urged all involved parties in an ongoing Witbooi clan's chieftaincy succession dispute to find common ground and work towards a lasting solution.

He made the call during a meeting with clan members in Gibeon.

The Witbooi clan members requested the meeting with Minister Sankwasa to provide inputs and direction on the chieftaincy succession dispute in accordance with the clan's customary law.

 Only the faction supporting Henrik Ismael Witbooi as the legitimate chieftaincy heir attended the meeting, while the group backing Salomon Witbooi to assume the chieftaincy boycotted the session.

 Sankwasa requested the Hardap leadership, Governor Riaan McNab and the Regional Council Chairperson Francois Dausab to engage the warring factions to resolve the dispute. 

 He noted, as a last resort, the government recommended an election between two candidates vying for the chieftaincy throne.

 Sankwasa further explained that one candidate claims legitimacy under the customary, which stipulates a successor must be born on the paternal side, while the other has challenged this in court as discriminatory under the constitution.

Some attendees at the meeting appealed for the reinstatement of Hendrik Ismael Witbooi as Chief of the Witbooi clan and rejected any election to determine the clan's next leader. 

Hendrik Ismael Witbooi was recently de-gazetted as the leader of the Witbooi clan, following a successful court challenge lodged by Salomon Witbooi.

It also emerged at the meeting that a letter dated 13 August written by Salomon Witbooi's lawyer offered Hendrik Ismael Witbooi, through his lawyers, a waiver of N$103,140 in legal costs.

This is on the condition he renounce any and all claims to the chieftainship and provide a written undertaking to that effect.

 Salomon Witbooi declined to comment on the waiver offer, saying his lawyer is handling the matter.

He admitted not attending the meeting due to a short-notice invite.

According to him, he notified Governor McNab through his personal assistant about the reasons for their absence.