Accusations fly in Vaalgras rift

ACCUSATIONS and counter-accusations of dictatorship and divisiveness marked a commemorative event at Vaalgras over the weekend.

With tribal divisions at Vaalgras widening, the two key protagonists, Daniel Apollus and Joel Stephanus, on different platforms, used the annual commemoration of the Nama genocide of 1904 by German colonial authorities to take a swipe at each other. Speaking at the official commemoration on Sunday, Chief Joel Stephanus said doubt had been cast by the opposing faction as to whether this year’s commemoration would take place. ‘Let me assure you that I will continue even if it will mean that I will alone honour the wish of my late father Samuel Stephanus to annually pay tribute to our fallen heroes and to celebrate their cultural heritage,’ he said. In a pointed reference to the Apollus faction, which is questioning his leadership, Stephanus vowed to rule the Orlam until his death. ‘I will stay put as kaptein because I’m not going to die soon, as some expect. Let me tell you that I will reach the age of 90,’ he said.Addressing the Apollus faction at a separate commemorative event, Reverend Andreas Biwa accused Chief Stephanus of having a ‘dictatorship leadership style’ and of failing to bring tangible development to the Vaalgras community. He said the objective of the Jan Apollus Foundation, launched over the weekend, was to kick-start long overdue development initiatives to uplift the community. ‘It was a bold step none of the current leadership was prepared to take,’ he said. Daniel Apollus said the Orlam chieftainship was temporarily put in the Stephanus clan’s hands and thus Chief Stephanus was not the rightful chief. Both sides have continuously rubbished each other’s claims to the Orlam chieftainship.