Africa-Press – Namibia. KEETMANSHOOP Rural constituency councillor Gerrit Witbooi is being castigated by his own party, the Landless Peoples’ Movement (LPM), over the appointment of key senior leaders to the //Kharas Regional Council.
The LPM last Thursday issued Witbooi a letter concerning allegations of abusing subsistance and travel allowances, as he reportedly travels using his own vehicle but also getting lifts from other councillors.
The //Kharas Regional Council’s ordinary council meeting was held on the same day where appointments and acting provisions were to be discussed.
“The issue stems from my refusal to deviate from recommendations made by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to the regional council on who must be appointed.
“I view the PSC as an authority. Where there is authority the precedence ought to be order. Whatever you do outside of that order will create chaos,” Witbooi said.
“My second issue is that we are denying people the positions that were rightfully awarded to them, even if it’s just a recommendation,” he said.
Witbooi says LPM second-in-command Henny Seibeb is threatening him on WhatsApp, urging him to leave the party.
The Namibian has seen the messages.
Seibeb says Witbooi has been threatening to resign from the LPM for the past two years.
“We feel the party cannot be held hostage for another two years by Witbooi. He should have enough courage and tender his voluntary resignation instead of calling on us to recall him so he can play the victim game,” he says.
He says the LPM’s local organising committee has held meetings at Koes and Aroab this past weekend to discuss Witbooi’s possible voluntary resignation.
“There are hardworking cadres willing to step up and take over governance and leadership,” Seibeb says.
Chairperson of the //Kharas Regional Council Joseph Isaack says there were two positions, one of deputy director auxiliary services and administration, and deputy director finance. He says the PSC recommended Quintin Visagie, a former Keetmans-hoop municipality employee, to be appointed to the finance position.
Isaack says the matter has been brought to the management committee’s attention in November.
The committee is comprised of LPM members only, he says.
Anneseline Beukes proposed Cecillia Appolus, currently acting in the position, to be appointed, which Isaack says he seconded, and Witbooi proposed that Visagie to appointed, for which there was no secondment, he says.
“PSC recommendations are subject to approval. In a previous court case, the law read that where there is a variation from the PSC recommendation by the regional council, the variation stays.
“However, I have been speaking to Witbooi about instructions we have received from the party that we need to comply with, because we are on the party’s ticket,” Isaacks says.
For the administration position, the PSC recommended Bernd Both, and the council appointed Engelhardine Geises.
Both has taken this case to the labour commissioner.
Swapo party councillor Lazarus Nangolo says the allegations are a witch-hunt.
“Witbooi is not willing to be party to corrupt and irregular decision-making at the regional council,” he says.
“This has now left the //Kharas Regional Council without having appointed any person to the position, leaving the council without an acting chief regional officer come 25 December.
“The current acting period comes to an end on that date and was supposed to be discussed. Unless a special council meeting will be called for this,” he says.
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