Landless People’s Movement leader Bernadus Swartbooi has accused his party’s councillor on the Keetmanshoop council of betrayal, labelling her “careless and intellectually fatigued”.
He said this after Charlyta Cooper allegedly shared critical information with outsiders, which, according to Swartbooi, compromises the work of the party.
“Your journey has been watched, and I express my sincere concern about your inability to lead,” Swartbooi said in the letter to Cooper, seen by New Era, dated 7 July.
“Your actions, allegations set aside, have not met the standard of what a deputy mayor should maintain, and you appear to find it feasible to approach the political mandate with a particular sense of carelessness and intellectual fatigue,” he added.
He further challenged Cooper to provide a justification before today as to why she ought to continue serving as a councillor for the municipality of Keetmanshoop and as a party member.
Yesterday, Cooper acknowledged receiving the letter but stated she was unable to comment at this time.
Cooper assumed the position of deputy mayor in 2020.
Last year, she was voted to serve as deputy mayor once more.
LPM holds the majority of the seats at the Keetmanshoop council, a total of five out of seven.
In January this year, LPM withdrew one of its councillors, Sydney Skakana, from the Keetmanshoop local authority with immediate effect over allegations that he defied party directives not to support a decision to disconnect the water supply of residents.
At the time, Skakana became the second councillor to be recalled by the party in less than a month after the then Keetmanshoop mayor, Maree Smit, was also withdrawn from the council.
Swartbooi, during a press conference held in Windhoek earlier this year, promised voters to withdraw councillors who are not performing or living up to their mandate.
Swartbooi said the question to be asked by voters should not be if LPM is a stable party, but rather if the relationship between voters and the party is stable.
“Some councillors in the Keetmanshoop local authority have been unable to overcome key challenges that need to be addressed correctly,” said Swartbooi.
He said those challenges include the income stream, administration and development of the southern town.
The party leader further explained the recall was an internal party issue.
“As we invest a lot of energy and resources in training and equipping local authority and regional council councillors, the party expects them in return to respect internal party programmes and meetings that informed them that if they are not working, they will be recalled,” he emphasised.
Swartbooi mentioned that another expectation from elected councillors is that of working diligently in areas where they are assigned.
“Any recall will be done with an assessment made by the local, regional and national leadership,” he added.
He also said LPM will continue investing in recalled councillors through training and capacity building, whereby they will get other assignments on the way forward.
“If you (councillors) don’t work, you will be reprimanded, spoken to, advised and guided but there comes a time that we need to strengthen you by taking you out and investing in you in a different sphere,” he said.
– ktjitemisa@nepc.com.na