Dear Shebeeners,

Since it is already common knowledge and in the public domain that Capital Press is suffering from acute financial restraints (see reports in Informanté and the Allgemeine Zeitung), I have no hesitation in adding my voice to the clamour for money.

Capital Press/ Bateleur Publishing owes me my salary for both March and April 2009. Despite taking the company to the Labour Commissioner nothing has happened – except endless, broken promises, implicit threats and non-appearance at convened gatherings. Add to this the fact that both the Chairperson, Mr André September, and the Financial Director, Mr. Deon September, are either unreachable or do not answer the cell phones and neglect to respond to text messages. They also do not respond to ever more urgent e-mails.

It is also already common knowledge from newspaper reports that Capital Press/Bateleur Publishing has allegedly not paid the full bill for printing the first issue of Life Magazine. I cannot confirm that, but suffice it to say that the second issue of Life Magazine has not hit the shelves and has, to the best of my knowledge, not yet been printed by PaarlWeb in Gauteng, South Africa.

According to various reports and the speeches made by Mr. André September and the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Hon. Joel Kaapanda, at the official launch of the magazine, a total of 25 000 copies were printed for the first issue!

I doubt whether more than 2 000 copies have been sold. That would leave in excess of 20 000 copies gathering dust.

Please be advised that with effect from 1 May 2009 I distance myself from and have severed ALL connections and associations with Capital Press/Bateleur Publishing by having tendered my resignation as so-called “Manging Editor” today, 30 April 2009. Kindly direct any enquiries to the Editor-in-Chief, Mr André September.

I, however, reserve the right to vigorously pursue all avenues at my disposal to obtain the salaries and other benefits owed to me by Capital Press/ Bateleur Publishing – including a amount of more than N$ 4 000 wrongfully deducted for a nonexistent pension fund. This may or may not include legal recourse.

I apologise for and sincerely regret if any of my colleagues and friends and acquaintances have been caught up in this affairs in some form or another. I certainly meant no ill intentions or harm! If such was occasioned, it was well beyond my personal control.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Mietzner