Staff Reporter
“SOMEBODY saw you walking in the corridor with a SWAPO councillor. Those are the things I hear. No developmental agenda talks, not on how to handle the NamWater or NamPower issues. Only rumours about who you were seen with.”
The above are words of the former Mayor of Keetmanshoop, Melody Swartbooi, who was unceremoniously removed from her position by the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), and has since spoken up, holding no punches back on the alleged abuse she has suffered under the leadership of the LPM.
Starting out with the press briefing held in Keetmanshoop on 16 June 2026, Swartbooi dispelled allegations of being a SWAPO infiltrator, adding that being a mayor requires working with councillors from different parties for the development of any settlement.
“We must stop with these things, elections are only after four or five years. That mentality must stop. We are here to work, we are not here to ensure that certain individuals benefit from certain things. That is not going to happen. It is a strange principle applied subjectively. The very same leaders who have an issue with the mayor working with SWAPO are in a coalition with SWAPO in Gobabis. We can put it on record. We have the management chairperson position in Gobabis, SWAPO has the mayor position. Why is there no consistency? Why is it being applied subjectively?” Melody questioned.
The former Mayor also said that she has suffered intimidation, control and bullying from LPM party leadership, which she claims started the day before she had been sworn in.
“I was called by my principal, and told your colleagues are not going to vote in your favour. The party told us who would occupy which position in the council. The day I was sworn in, I received vulgar and disrespectful messages. Fk you, fking resign. So the former mayor was promised that she would become mayor. And because of this promise, she turned violent verbally,” Melody said.
She added that things went downhill from there and that constant internal fighting led to the coalition that LPM has with IPC.
“IPC tabled a vote of no confidence against my two colleagues. But now you should wonder, why would your coalition partner table a motion of vote of no confidence?” Melody said.
She further added that she was questioned with regard to discrepancies on the appointment of JJF, a company which the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating for its contract with the Keetmanshoop Municipality following alleged irregularities surrounding a N$3.4-million service level agreement (SLA).
The agreement relates to the supply of prepaid electricity meters for energy management contract clients at Aranos through the Keetmanshoop Electricity Business Unit (KEBU).
“The matter of JJF was not in my time. It was signed 12 December 2024. I was not there, I have nothing to do with this. But I have to answer these things. If someone questions you about things you do not know of, you must go and investigate. This has nothing to do with Melody Swartbooi. The Procurement Board reported this matter to ACC because procurement processes were not followed. I am being questioned, and accused that I complain to my colleagues,” Melody said.
She added that from 18 May 2026, she had been barred from attending several Ordinary Council meetings, some of which resulted in the Nama Cultural Festival not receiving funding.
“I tried to call my operational secretary. How don’t you want the Nama Cultural Festival to get assistance? So the Nama Cultural Festival did not get funding. People think it’s the Mayor, but it is Dawid Eigub who must answer,” Melody said.
She added that she had eventually been fired after being accused of attending a 4 June meeting which she had been barred from attending. Melody, however, maintains that she did not attend any such meeting, which can be proven via an attendance register and the recordings with regard to the minutes of the meetings.
Photo: LPM
