Swapo Party attracts huge crowd
23 Nov 2010 - Story by Catherine Sasman
LÃDERITZ ' The Swapo Party held a boisterous rally in Lüderitz with buses, trucks, taxis and private cars carting people to a gathering held at an open field in Nautilus Suburb on Saturday.

The party has dominated the regional council and local authority positions for about 12 years, and said it intends to do so again for the next five years.

It is anticipated that the Swapo Party and the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) would go head-to-head at the town, with little visibility of other parties.

Lüderitz regional council candidate for the Swapo Party, Jan Scholtz, said a regional council and local authority would fail to work satisfactorily should it be in the hands of opposition parties, and in particular the RDP.

'What would happen if the RDP or another party is voted into office while you have a Swapo Cabinet and President, or a Swapo Minister of Regional and Local Government?

Where would the opposition get money?' said Scholtz.

He claimed that constituencies like Rehoboth Urban and Khorixas previously dominated by opposition parties could not bring about development, adding that Swapo Party candidates have brought life to these constituencies since they took over.

'We shall not lead blindly, but move forward not backwards,' promised Scholtz.

Scholtz said a Swapo Party-led local government would ensure yearly consultations with President Hifikepunye Pohamba.

Scholtz said the Swapo Party would consider programmes that could provide jobs to fishermen for the six months in a year that they are not at sea.

He went on to say that the party would ensure that tenders are awarded to locals.

Scholtz said Aus, which is about 120 km from Luderitz, falls in the Lüderitz district, should be upgraded to a village council and the bucket system there should be done away with.

He said a survey is required to determine the needs of the elderly and disabled in the district for them to benefit from the social housing scheme, which is a sub-scheme of the Build Together housing programme.

He added that the Equity Trust Fund should be used to benefit these groups.

Scholtz further warned 'those bureaucrats who block development' to 'shape up or ship out'.

'If you work against the Swapo Party government administration, you can be replaced,' he warned.

He said the party would uphold the standards of accountability and quality of service.

'The greatness of the constituency and region must be earned, and this journey continues today,' he said.

The Swapo Party regional council and local authority candidates were introduced to the huge crowd that gathered for the rally.

They are Jan Scholtz as regional councillor, Susan Ndjhaleka, Helaria Makapuli, Abraham Mwiya, Festus Kamati, Silas Hamukwaya and Perscah Mafale for the local authority election.