Suspended IPC councillor denies wrongdoing

OTJIWARONGO–Otjiwarongo local authority councillor of the Independent Patriots for Change Fearika Botha, who was suspended last Thursday by other councillors after she allegedly assisted a community member to renew a municipality horse stable farming unit lease agreement, has denied any wrongdoing.

Mayor Gottlieb Shivute in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday said Botha allegedly assisted a community member to write letters to the municipality for the renewal of a horse farming lease agreement.

“By doing so, she contravened the local authority code of conduct as per rule 6(5) and we voted for her one-month suspension,” said Shivute.

The special council meeting that suspended her was attended by the deputy mayor Julienda Kampungu, councillors Godhardt Hoko, Ernst Muraranganda and Sebetius Guiteb.

Shivute explained that Muraranganda of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) voted against Botha’s suspension, while Guiteb of the Landless

People’s Movement (LPM) abstained.

Shivute, Kampungu and Hoko, all from Swapo voted for her suspension, while Hilde Jesaja of Swapo was absent. Botha on Tuesday denied any wrongdoing, saying the plot owner registered under Cheval Stables CC horse farming had been farming there long before she became a councillor in September 2021.

She said this same plot was in 2016 to May 2019 leased to her by the municipality, but she gave it up.

TheOtjiwarongomunicipality in May 2019 allocated it to the new owner and started to issue monthly bills to the new owner, said Botha.

Botha became councillor on 22 September 2021 after the death of Lee-Anne Liebenberg.

“Therefore, I have never assisted this person to even renew the current one-year and six-month lease agreement she entered into with the municipality on 01 October 2021,” said Botha.

She explained that the bad blood brewing between her and the four Swapo councillors at the municipality started after she opened an assault case against Hoko in October 2021.

This, she said, is the main cause of the suspension.

Namibian Police spokesperson in the Otjozondjupa region, Inspector Maureen Mbeha on Wednesday confirmed a defamation and assault case registered by Botha on 22 October 2021 against Hoko.

Botha will resume council duties on 13 May this year.