Dax speaks out about Rehoboth mess

SWAPO needs to call the Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, Jerry Ekandjo, to order for his alleged contribution to the political mess at Rehoboth.

So charged veteran politician and former National Council (NC) member Stefanus ‘Groot’ Dax.In an interview with The Namibian on Sunday, Dax said it appears as if certain Politburo members within Swapo have the exclusive mandate to carry out executive decisions.This came after Ekandjo allegedly ordered the ‘dubious’ removal of former Rehoboth mayor, Pietertjie Pieters.Dax claimed this was not the first time that Ekandjo had taken unilateral decisions regarding Rehoboth. The ousting of George Dax, also a former mayor, allegedly also took place at the hands of Ekandjo.According to Dax, Pieters was sacked after the town’s CEO, Theo Jankowski, its human resources and corporate affairs officer, Willy ‘Mistake’ Swartz, and Stephanus Tiboth met with Ekandjo on December 2 2011.In a letter published in a local daily yesterday, Ekandjo on December 5 2011 wrote to Tiboth that following ‘the decision that emanated from the resolution taken at the meeting of the joint executive committee meeting of Rehoboth East and West districts on November 30 2011’, Pieters should be recalled as mayor.This decision, Ekandjo wrote, was taken in conjunction with Swapo Secretary General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana.Last week, Iivula-Ithana said she knew nothing about these developments. The party’s Deputy Secretary General, Nangolo Mbumba, said the decision to remove Pieters had not been sanctioned by the party.Tiboth replaced Pieters as council member while Eve Maasdorp became the new mayor.Jankowski last week insisted that he had nothing to do with Pieters’s removal.Previous complaints about Ekandjo’s hand in the Rehoboth pie have yielded no results, Dax said. ‘He just causes chaos. He should be removed from this region.’Dax and a fellow community activist Clive Khachab claim Pieters was given the boot after tackling alleged corruption within the town council.Pieters, according to them, also objected against Swartz’s appointment because of an alleged lack of qualifications.Upon enquiry on Sunday, Ekandjo demanded written questions. After questions were faxed to his office yesterday, he changed his tune. ‘I don’t speak to The Namibian. Don’t ever call me again,’ he shouted before slamming down the phone.Meanwhile, Dax said after a demonstration at the town about Pieters’s removal, a group of 18 marchers are being victimised and singled out for defaulting on their water bills.While he was acting as CEO during December, Swartz was in charge of clamping down defaulters.Swartz’s mother, who owes close to N$17 000 for water, apparently has not had her water supply cut.Swartz referred The Namibian to Norman van Rensburg, the acting finance manager, who deals with ‘cut lists’. ‘She has my house and I have mine. How will I know about that?’ Swartz said.Van Rensburg said the council’s policy is to cut off water supply if a resident falls in arrears.Swartz’s mother made arrangements to pay off her bill in instalments, he claimed.Although he makes use of prepaid water, he still gets water bills, Dax said. Despite an undertaking by Van Rensburg to look into their account, no feedback was received, he said.Also, Dax said, he is being billed for water used on erven where his sisters live. This was also never sorted out.He claims that the water issue has been politicised.Dax further accused the Police of siding with Swartz after an incident at the Police station last week where Swartz allegedly pointed a firearm at Khachab. Swartz was not arrested.The incident took place after an incident at the town council offices where Swartz and Jankowski were allegedly attacked.Dax said the town’s problems will be addressed if ‘Tiboth is removed and Pieters brought back’.