Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Eliaser Ndeyanale
Published on 2024-03-24 05:52:35
Regional councillors representing the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) at the Hardap Regional Council are currently in disagreement after the council purchased 120 rabbits without a formal council resolution in place. The LPM party holds six seats on the regional council, and the controversy arose when the rabbits were acquired from Cadema Farming, owned by Margreth du Toit and her husband, Deon, from Rehoboth, last February.
The decision to purchase the rabbits was based on a presentation made by Cadema Farming representatives to the council in October 2021, where they proposed providing high-protein meat from rabbits to feed the residents of Hardap. The price was set at N$250 per rabbit and N$6 per cage. While the council agreed to the purchase, only 38 rabbits have been delivered so far, out of the total 120.
Harald Kumbrude, one of the councillors, was not aware of the rabbit purchase until he heard rumors about it. Upon confirmation from the acting chief regional officer, Julian Engelbrecht, he reported the matter to the minister of urban and rural development, Erastus Uutoni, who subsequently forwarded it to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for investigation.
On the other hand, Deon du Toit, the owner of Cadema Farming, dismissed Kumbrude’s claims, stating that the project was approved by the regional council, including Kumbrude, in January 2022. Despite facing challenges in caring for the rabbits, Du Toit maintained that the project, dubbed ‘Feed the Nation,’ was designed for the export market and job creation.
However, disagreements between councillors arose over other financial resolutions as well. Kumbrude mentioned a discrepancy in the amount approved for a donation to the Hardap Regional Football Association and questioned the changes made to the resolution during subsequent council meetings. These disputes led to arguments between Kumbrude and the council chairperson, Gershon Dausab, resulting in the meeting being canceled.
Amidst these controversies, the LPM councillors held a meeting at their head office, but Kumbrude claimed that he was not given an opportunity to voice his side of the story. The situation remains under investigation, with Dausab refraining from commenting further. Engelbrecht has promised to provide a formal response in the coming week.
Despite the ongoing investigations and conflicting statements, the central issue pertains to the transparency and accountability of financial decisions made by the Hardap Regional Council. The involvement of Cadema Farming and the handling of the rabbit purchase have raised questions about proper governance within the council, highlighting the importance of adherence to established procedures and resolutions.
Read the original article on The Namibian
