…Beukes discourteously booted out
Factions in the Workers’ Revolutionary Party (WRP) that both want to lay their hands on the N$1.9 million the party will receive through State funding this year have accused parliament of deliberately delaying the release of its funds.
WRP is represented by Salmon Fleermuys and Benson Kaapala in the National Assembly.
Hewat Beukes, the WRP spokesperson, says he met National Assembly Secretary Jakes Jacobs last week to enquire about the delayed funds, adding that Jacobs informed him the payment was suspended due to a letter from one of the parliamentarians who requested him to do so.
According to a letter dated May 15, 2015, signed by Beukes, “August Maletzky, Harry Boesak, Willem Beukes, and Benson Kaapala in cooperation with National Assembly Speaker Professor Peter Katjavivi and Jacobs are collaborating to dismantle the Workers Revolutionary Party and set up a surrogate has produced the following insight.”
The plan to wreck the WRP’s presence in parliament began immediately after elections, claims Beukes.
“It is deplorable that your office could receive a letter from a purported member to suspend payment and you gladly complied with it. People who are not members of the party are more privileged than the legitimate members,” states WRP’s central committee in a letter to the National Assembly.
“The Speaker and the Secretary as far back as 8 May 2015 went into verbal and written communications with the said group regarding efforts to dismantle the WRP and to set up an organisation with the same name,” alleges Beukes. National Assembly Secretary Jakes Jacobs yesterday refused to comment on the matter while Katjavivi was unreachable, as he is out of the country.
“August Maletzky is not and never was a member of the WRP. Factions cannot fight over funds, which are statutorily allocated to a party by the State. It is for the party and the party alone – not for factions. The party shall account for it at the end of each year through an audited report,” said Beukes when approached by New Era yesterday.
Maletzky last week announced that the party’s central committee resolved to suspend Beukes, Jacobus Jossob and Erica Beukes from the WRP and that Benson Kaapala was elected to lead the party. Beukes, however, refuted these claims yesterday, saying: “The CC did not meet to expel anyone. Benson Kaapala was expelled by the WRP central committee.”
Last week the party’s CC urged parliament to pay the money due from the State into its bank account. “It is not your money. We are demanding it as of right. We are also instructing you to allocate our offices immediately to serve our people,” it stated. The party also accused parliament of failing to communicate the reasons for the delay in paying out the funds, saying: “Your failure to inform the WRP and its representative of your suspension of the funds is scandalous and a serious violation of the rule of law and democracy.”
Among the resolutions taken by the WRP congress is the immediate expulsion of Hewat Samuel Beukes, Jacobus Jossob and Erica Beukes from the WRP. Malezky on the other hand, is not happy because “Since the opening of parliament the Secretary of the National Assembly failed to provide offices to the WRP.”
He also accused the National Assembly secretariat of withholding the funding of the WRP.