Aranos suspends village chairperson for not taking voluntary HIV test

THE Aranos Town Council has suspended its chairperson, Hans Josef Baffrath, for allegedly violating a code of conduct for councillors.

Baffrath was accused of having refused to take voluntary HIV test during the launch of a testing campaign he attended as council representative on September 7 last year at Rehoboth, and of transporting alcoholic beverages in a council vehicle. The council resolved at its meeting on May 31 to suspend Baffrath for a month with full pay, effective from June 1 until June 30. Baffrath yesterday condemned his suspension as ‘unfair’. ‘I was denied the right to appear before a disciplinary hearing to defend the allegations against me,’ he said. Baffrath said he was seeking legal advice to challenge his suspension.’I am currently in Windhoek to consult with my lawyer,’ said Baffrath. According to Baffrath, the ulterior motive behind his suspension is to allow the remaining councillors to push through their ‘self-enrichment’ agendas in his absence. ‘The fight is now open. Sooner or later I will spill the beans,’ Baffrath said angrily. Baffrath, who represents the Swapo Party in the council, said three of his party’s representatives in council, whom he claimed had been hand-picked from the street to serve on the council without going through the party structures, voted in favour of his suspension. The Namibian understands that only one of the three opposition council members voted against Baffrath’s suspension.