The Landless Peoples’ Movement (LPM) leadership has opted not to address the reasons for the recall of Keetmanshoop mayor Melody Swartbooi over the weekend.
The issue has left party members divided and losing trust in LPM at the town.
Swartbooi, who became a councillor during the 2025 local and regional authority elections, was given the boot from her position as well as withdrawn from representing LPM on the council.
Swartbooi says a chaotic meeting on Saturday led to LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi being escorted out by local police, and that attempts to solve the matter on Monday proved futile.
“I asked for a meeting with the leadership to solve the matter amicably and not have a repeat of what happened at the public meeting, but when I arrived with my delegation of five people, I was told Joseph Isaak, Rashied Rooinasie and Aloys Appolus cannot be a part of the meeting as they are suspended members.
“But our operative secretary, David Eigub, was there with about 20 members including labour consultants, councillors from Mariental and Lüderitz as well as leaders from Windhoek. I felt ambushed and that they should’t dictate to me who I can bring along while they had such a huge group of people,” says Swartbooi.
She says they waited for the press release at the party office as announced.
“But that did not transpire at 11h00 as announced and it was shifted to 15h00. At 15h00 nobody showed up and we saw on Facebook that they were livestreaming from Eigub’s house,” says the former mayor.
