Martin Endjala
The Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency Councillor Geritt Witbooi who was just suspended from the Landless People’s Movement(LPM) says party leader Bernardus Swartbooi has no power to institute the suspension of a regional councillor, that the power lies with the Kharas regional council.
Witbooi was suspended from regional Council activities in the Kharas region with immediate effect, in a letter dated 8 December 2022, by Swartbooi, who also stopped him from continuing with party activities.
He is further suspended from six management committee meetings of the council.
Witbooi was elected in November 2020. Last year in November, he was accused of mismanaging funds and termed a “sell out” for working with other opposition parties against LPM.
The councillor was given directives in a letter issued by Swartbooi November 2022, to prove himself innocent against allegations leveled against him.
“What he is doing is absolutely wrong, as he alone cannot institute a suspension of a regional councilor, this power lies in the hands of the Kharas Regional Council through a passed resolution by management and therefore this is illegal”, maintained Witbooi.
“I love the party and I would never do anything to sabotage it. The allegations are false and this is merely a witch-hunt and a motive by Swartbooi. The suspension is a strategic move by the leader, as they are keen on appointing a person of their choice in a vacant position in the party, while i propose another candidate. My absence from the meetings due to this suspension means that they can now play their cards which ever way they want, as I am not around to oppose,” Witbooi said.
Witbooi revealed that he has since taken up the suspension matter with his lawyers.
“I love my job, and this won’t break me.I do not care what happens, because I do it for the electorates who voted for me, in order to make sure that I serve them well and I have been doing this to date”, lamented Witbooi.
On a side note, Witbooi, said he made a wheelchair donation to the elderly in Kharas region today.
