By: Ludorf Iyambo

Otjiwarongo mayor Candy Shivute has welcomed the resignation of IPC councillor Fearika Botha, stating that she was disruptive.

Botha resigned as a councillor of the Otjiwarongo Municipality. According to media reports, this was “due to health reasons and to devote her time to her family.”

Shivute said it was a relief for the councillors, as she was disruptive.

“I know the councillor in particular, and she is the kind of a person who was disruptive. We could not go on really with our daily operations as councillors. She used to interrupt meetings. Meetings have to be rescheduled with no proper explanations or proper conduct.”

Shivute further said it was good that Botha decided to resign because she was a stumbling block in the town councillors’ operations.

“I did not read the content of her resignation letter; hence I will not comment much on why she resigned,” said Shivute.

Just last month, Botha resigned from the municipality’s management committee. At the time, she cited verbal assault from committee chairperson Godhard Hoko.

Meanwhile, LPM Otjiwarongo local authority councillor Sebeteus Guiteb described Botha as a good colleague.

“Councilors are missing out on a good contributor towards the town’s development. This person would always be quoting from below or within the Act whenever she had to contribute to something towards the council. She was more helpful and sticking to the local authority Act, and others could pick up from her in that regard,” said Guiteb.

Guiteb further said he was shocked to hear of the IPC councillor’s resignation.

He said her absence will be a challenge to them because they do not know what to expect from the new person who will replace Botha, “compared to the one they are used to. You develop a good relationship with a person, and you have to start over again with the new person. You will not know what sort of agenda this person has.

Guiteb told The Villager that the continuous resignation of councillors in Otjiwarongo gives a bad perspective to the general public. He said people would opt to think that there’s something wrong, which is why the councillors are leaving.

“I will implore my fellow councillors for us to stick to what we have been taken in for to develop a good relationship that can be beneficial to Otjiwarongo.

According to Guiteb, for a long time, Otjiwarongo was led by councillors from one political party, and the mixture of councillors from different parties has led to a lack of unity among them.

“We have got issues real that can be concluded on a mutual basis,” he stated.

Botha, who was sworn in in September 2021, had been suspended by her party from 14 April to 13 May of the same year for allegedly contravening the council’s code of conduct.

At least three councillors resigned from the Otjiwarongo municipality in two years since 2021. PDM councillor Maritz Laubscher resigned in January 2022. Laubscher, who is a medical doctor, resigned because he transferred to Outjo, where he has bought a practice.

Meanwhile, Hilde! Noreses of Swapo was recalled by the ruling party’s regional executive committee in 2021 for allegedly offering to write off a taxpayer’s outstanding tax payment in exchange for money.