Former Keetmanshoop mayor Melody Swartbooi has set the record straight on her removal as LPM council representative by the party, denying any wrongdoing that may have triggered the move.
Addressing a press conference, Swartbooi cited her apparent stance not to cover up alleged irregularities in council implicating LPM councillors as the reason that contributed to her being given the marching orders. The alleged irregularities, Swartbooi revealed, include forgery and flawed tender allocations.
'How do you sign a document on behalf of a chairperson?' Now the lawyers are saying, 'No, Mayor, you sign here,' and I said, 'No, that's not my signature; here is my signature.' So I asked my leadership, 'What are you doing in this regard?' Because the lawyer said straightforwardly, 'This is fraud; someone is impersonating you.' So before you take any steps, you need to consult your party, and that is what I did."
Swartbooi said since becoming mayor, she has been subjected to bullying, harassment and victimisation from the party's leadership.
"The victimisation, the intimidation, the bullying, and the harassment of me, Melody Swartbooi, started on the day before I was sworn in. It is where it started; on this day I was called by my president. I was already warned that your colleagues won't vote in your favour tomorrow."
She claimed that internal disputes among councillors led to the collapse of the LPM-IPC coalition agreement, which she believes was the main reason for her removal. However, she added that the situation is more complex and goes deeper than just the coalition breakdown.
"All of this because I didn't condone certain things; I said no. I asked the wrong questions, according to my leaders, and didn't follow instructions and directions from some. I don't want to say 'corrupt' but 'wrong practices to apparently benefit the party', and if they deny it, I have the proof at my disposal."
LPM spokesperson Lifalaza Simataa poured cold water on Swartbooi's allegations against the party's leadership.
"The allegations of corruption – the party in itself has not done or ordered or been accused of any point of corruption by any figure that is there that exists. Our councillors have not received any directive when it comes to giving a tender to any individual, but even more, it's impossible for us to give such directives because they are not in charge of tenders at all."
Simataa, however, acknowledged an incident during which former Mayor Anellize Knaus poured water on Swartbooi, but Knaus was disciplined and given a written warning.