CoD slams SELCo political donations

DONATIONS to the tune of N$ 28 0000 to four political parties in Keetmanshoop have landed the Southern Electricity Company (SELCo) in hot water yet again.

In the past, residents of Keetmanshoop and Karasburg have staged demonstrations over the controversial agreements the councils of the towns signed with SELCo. Residents claim that since SELCo was awarded the contracts, electricity tariffs have sky-rocketed.The giant electricity company is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and manages and operates electricity distribution in Keetmanshoop, Karasburg, Aranos and some small village councils in the Karas Region.In a press release last week, the acting president of the Young Democrats, Frans Basson, urged SELCo to come clean and to inform them what “modus operandi” they had followed in their selection of the political parties.The Congress of Democrats (CoD) was not among the four political parties – the Swapo Party, DTA, RP and UDF – who received the donations.The ruling party received the biggest slice of the cake.”Those who received the funds are part and parcel of the controversial agreement SELCo went into with the Keetmanshoop municipality,” Basson claimed.Asked by The Namibian whether the CoD would have accepted the funds if they had come their way, Basson responded:”SELCo should have first explained the motives behind the funding.However, if the funds were meant for the enhancement of the political parties, I would have liaised with the Branch Executive Committee for a decision on whether to accept the funds.”He said that the two CoD representatives on the town council would be called on to look into the signing of the controversial agreement between SELCo and the Keetmanshoop Municipality.The Namibian approached the Managing Director of SELCo, Allen Van Zyl, for comment but he had failed to respond at the time of going to press.Residents claim that since SELCo was awarded the contracts, electricity tariffs have sky-rocketed.The giant electricity company is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and manages and operates electricity distribution in Keetmanshoop, Karasburg, Aranos and some small village councils in the Karas Region.In a press release last week, the acting president of the Young Democrats, Frans Basson, urged SELCo to come clean and to inform them what “modus operandi” they had followed in their selection of the political parties.The Congress of Democrats (CoD) was not among the four political parties – the Swapo Party, DTA, RP and UDF – who received the donations.The ruling party received the biggest slice of the cake.”Those who received the funds are part and parcel of the controversial agreement SELCo went into with the Keetmanshoop municipality,” Basson claimed.Asked by The Namibian whether the CoD would have accepted the funds if they had come their way, Basson responded:”SELCo should have first explained the motives behind the funding.However, if the funds were meant for the enhancement of the political parties, I would have liaised with the Branch Executive Committee for a decision on whether to accept the funds.”He said that the two CoD representatives on the town council would be called on to look into the signing of the controversial agreement between SELCo and the Keetmanshoop Municipality.The Namibian approached the Managing Director of SELCo, Allen Van Zyl, for comment but he had failed to respond at the time of going to press.