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//Karas councillors fail to account for millions

2016-11-09  Staff Report 2

//Karas councillors fail to account for millions
Keetmanshoop - Swapo’s regional coordinator for //Karas, Matheus Mumbala, has lashed out at Swapo regional and local authority councillors for not being accountable and for deceiving the electorate. Speaking during the regional executive committee meeting at Swapo’s regional office at Keetmanshoop last Saturday, Mumbala said some councillors are deceiving the electorate by promising services they are unable to deliver, adding that corruption seems to be hindering service delivery as millions of dollars aimed for development are unaccounted for. Referrring to an article in the Namibian newspaper, headlined ‘//Karas in shock spending’, he said it is unacceptable that such large amounts are not accounted for and that councillors deployed on a Swapo ticket to serve the people should sit idly without offering any explanation. The said report stated that about N$77.2 million meant for capital projects in the region remains unaccounted for and Mumbala indicated that failure by the implicated councillors to explain how the money was spent can only mean they are part of corrupt schemes. “It’s either the politicians are collaborating with officials in these dirty deals, or the other way around. If this is not true then you are lucky, but if it’s true the party will take you to task,” he warned. He called on regional councillors through their chairperson Jan Scholtz to report to the party any and all allegations of the misuse of funds at the council. “If the report is true we want an explanation,” he fumed. Mumbala then turned to the Keetmanshoop Municipaly councillors, whom he accused of deceiving voters by promising services they are unable to deliver. He singled out the electricity distribution takeover as one of the lies councillors have been feeding the community, while they knew from the onset – on advice from the party and central government – that the municipality does not have the capacity to take over electricity distribution operations from Southern Electricity Company (SELCo). Having lobbied for almost a year now to take over the electricity supply, Keetmanshoop Municipality was left with an egg in the face last week and was forced to backtrack on its decision to take over electricity supply at the town, citing lack of funds. Mumbala said this was bound to happen and that is why the party had recommended a slow transition, but the councillors had refused to listen. “SELCo has supplied electricity for the last 15 years and we didn’t die. We must not lie to the electorate. We must not fail and make excuses. We don’t want a blackout,” he said and called on the local authority not to confuse the community. He said the local authority leaders are causing problems for themselves, as they are apparently not honest in their dealings. He further called on councillors to adhere to the Swapo election manifesto and the oath they undertook upon taking office, saying the manifesto is a social contract with the electorate as far as service delivery is concerned and thus accountability and transparency must prevail. Mumbala also expressed unhappiness over the perpetual hiring of consultants in local authority affairs, saying it is a sheer waste of money, as people already employed in the structures of those institutions could do those jobs. “Very soon, even to cook mahangu and pooitjies you will need consultants,” he remarked.
2016-11-09  Staff Report 2

Tags: Khomas
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