Africa-Press – Namibia. THE mayor and chairperson of the management committee of the Karibib Town Council have been accused of not living in the communities they serve.
Mayor Davey van Wyk is said to be a resident of Usakos, where he previously served as a local authority councillor.
A letter from the Usakos Town Council CEO, Ivin Lombart, dated 21 June 2021 and seen by The Namibian, confirmed that Van Wyk served as a councillor at Usakos until 2 December 2020, a day after he was sworn into office at Karibib.vVan Wyk denies that he is not a resident of Karibib.
“I’m staying in Karibib Erf 1505, Ext 6. I’m also working as a principal at the local primary school. I really don’t understand why the people must lie.
“Community members make appointments with my personal assistant whenever they want to see me,” he said, clarifying that the only time he is not able to see community members is during school hours.
Chairperson of the management committee, Lazarus Kanelombe, who also works at Swakop Uranium, denied that he resides at Swakopmund.
“I never relocated to Swakopmund. I stay where I have been staying. The same residential address I established with them. I work at Swakop Uranium not at Swakopmund,” he said. Kanelombe commutes to work daily, which is 154km from Karibib, he said.
The distance does not affect his ability to perform his duty to the community, having made himself available for all 10 annual council meetings, as well as other commitments when his work permits, he asserts. “I am not here because of this allowance. I was elected to serve the community and that is what I took the oath to do,” he said.
Both Van Wyk and Kanelombe said they believe the accusations stem from disgruntled municipal employees, including the CEO, after they last year called for the rural development ministry to conduct a land audit at the town and look into its finances.
The Namibian established that last year the council could only convene seven meetings out of 10.
Approached for comment, Karibib CEO Lesley Goreseb referred the matter to the councillors and their political parties.
United Democratic Front president Apius Auchab saw nothing wrong with his party’s councillor’s residential address.
“That man’s parents are from Karibib. His father is from Otjimbingwe. His relatives are from Karibib. He can stay in a 30km radius,” said Auchab.
Auchab added that Van Wyk can serve at Karibib because he has been paying rates and taxes for his property there.
“He was contributing to the development of Karibib. The very people that are complaining, some of them never contributed a single cent to the development of Karibib.
“It’s because of the position that people are complaining about things like these,” Auchab added.
Erongo regional coordinator for Swapo Daniel Muhuura thought the matter was settled, after a complaint reached his office last year and Kanelombe promised to move back to Karibib.
“There was a complaint and after I spoke to him, he moved back to Karibib. He assured me that he is commuting from Karibib to his work,” said Muhuura.
He added that the party does not condone the fact that elected leaders reside anywhere other than the community they are elected in. Last month, Popular Democratic Movement councillor for Otjiwarongo Maritz Laubscher resigned from the council because he was going to run his private medical practice at Outjo.
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