Unresolved internal Swapo party squabbles in Grootfontein saw suspensions of its newly sworn-in mayor and other executive district members over allegations of voting for the opposition to ascend to the chairpersonship of the management committee.
Talitha Garises (66), who was sworn in as Grootfontein mayor on Thursday, was on Monday suspended and recalled by Swapo, along with other party members, for allegedly supporting members of the opposition to take over the management committee.
The swearing-in ceremony of councillors was done on Thursday, where Garises presided over an election as mayor and voted two opposition members into the management committee.
The Swapo Grootfontein district executive committee at its meeting held on 17 February 2022 resolved to activate clause 20 of the party’s code of conduct and disciplinary procedures to recall and suspend Garises, Tuhafeni Simon, Anna Ochurus, Fastudu Malwa, Susan Swartz and Innocent Madonsa from the district executive committee as of Monday.
Garises is the only suspended council member, while the rest are district executive members.
Part of the allegations is that although Garises is a Swapo member, she voted for her niece, Elizabeth Kastoor, who is a member of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), to take over as chairperson of the management committee.
Garises allegedly also voted for an Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member, Lodewikus Jacobs, to be part of the management
committee. Garises and others are charged for having presided over the swearing-in and election of the management committee chairperson under the leadership of the opposition.
They are also charged for failure to comply with the regional executive committee and district executive committee directives.
They are indicted for contravening to comply with any provision relating to their official position in the party by “allowing opposition forces and counter-revolutionary forces” to form the majority in the Grootfontein municipal council’s management committee without a clear mandate from the ruling party.
Furthermore, the members are accused of organising and participating in illegal district executive committee meetings for the deployment of office- bearers, acting against the directive of the Swapo secretary general.
Swapo Grootfontein district coordinator John Haimbodi confirmed the resolution to suspend and recall its members.
He said the executive committee suspended five of its members, based on the gravity of their shenanigans and conduct within the previous months.
-anakale@nepc.com.na