IT is a cause of great concern that we the community of Keetmanshoop have to notice how respected community leaders here in our town are dragging the local authority’s name through the mud unabashed, to secure their own selfish interest in the Southern Electricity Company (Selco). It is an absolute yet saddening fact that some of the individuals that managed to drag the Keetmanshoop Municipality to the High court are indeed the very same individuals who formed part of the previous Local Authority Council and who as a matter of fact have secured undisclosed shares in Selco. It is no secret that the sudden ultimatum exerted by Selco not so long ago for the municipality to rescind its decision of terminating the contract of 15 years was indeed orchestrated by the very same individuals who form no longer part of the current council but who hold shares in Selco up to date. The fact is that these same individuals who served on the previous local authority are the very people who manoeuvred the decision to enter into contract with Selco in the first place and are now fighting, masquerading in the name of Selco treacherously protecting their nest egg which was settled when the “deal’ was clinched initially. Despite these selfish acts by some former councillors the new council through diligence and vigilance weighed the implications after thorough scrutiny of the agreement with Selco and as such deemed it imperative to terminate the said agreement unconditionally. The Community of Keetmanshoop is also wary of the fact that Selco whenever it deemed fit increased the tariffs of electricity without approval or without considering the implications this will have on the under class at large. Unpaid royalties by Selco to the municipality remains to be just some of the outstanding issues that add up to that of the tariff issue. Having mentioned the above, I herewith would like to appeal to the Electricity Control Board (ECB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Regional, Local Government, Housing and Rural Development if it is in their powers to do so, to establish and declare public the shareholders and allocated shares held by former local authority members. This is not only bound to be revelatory to members of the Keetmanshoop community but it would definitely open up eyes from the side of the community who have been blindfolded by the very same “leaders” who we at least thought had the interests of the community at heart. We the community of Keetmanshoop stand firm with the undeterred decision of council to terminate the said contract and not to surrender to the stout threat of Selco during this high court case. We further would like to reassure council of our unwavering support in its efforts to bring affordable and quality service to the town of Keet-manshoop. Concerned Residents of Keetmanshoop