INDEPENDENT Patriots for Change (IPC) leader Panduleni Itula yesterday met with City of Windhoek councillor Desiree Davids to discuss allegations that her land application was processed within the space of a month.
The meeting also included IPC national general secretary Christine Aochamus.
This comes after reported yesterday that it took only one month for Davids’ application to buy a plot at Rocky Crest in Windhoek to get the green light from the city’s property department.
The IPC said a misconduct investigation into Davids would be completed in three weeks’ time.
The party yesterday suspended Davids and banned her from representing the party in the municipality pending the investigation.
Even though her application was sent back to the property department for more information, the speed at which her proposal to buy the N$377 000 plot was processed has raised questions among municipal officials about the continued preferential treatment of politicians.
This came to light while the municipality announced in February this year there are currently 30 000 residents on its list of people waiting to be allocated land.
Some have been on this list for over a decade.
IPC national general secretary Christine Aochamus yesterday said the party “abides by the principles of dignity, honesty, integrity and the rule of law. We address all issues on merit and apply the rule of law in all circumstances”.
Aochamus issued a statement yesterday outlining the process the party followed to suspend Davids, and stating the reasons for doing so.
The IPC leadership said they followed their constitution and code of conduct for members.
Aochamus told Davids she would be informed today on the composition of the investigative committee.
“You will be accorded an opportunity to present your case, and you are free to call witnesses,” she said.
BACKGROUND
Itula during last year’s local authorioty and regional council elections largely campaigned against corruption, including with regards to land allocation.
Davids on 14 May wrote a letter titled ‘Urgent application to purchase an erf’ to the City of Windhoek’s acting chief executive officer George Mayumbelo.
She applied for land in Rocky Crest measuring 313 square metres.
The IPC councillor said she was assisted by a staff member in the municipality’s housing and property department to scout for vacant plots in Windhoek.
“I hereby request that your office . . . urgently submit an item on my erf application to serve at the management committee meeting scheduled for 18 May 2021,” she wrote.
Documents seen by The Namibian show that her application was discussed a month after she submitted the letter.
Sources said this application appeared to have been fast-tracked.
Davids is also part of the council’s management committee and recused herself from the meeting at which her application was discussed.
The management committee meeting took place on 15 June, partially discussing Davids’ application, which was submitted by the housing and property department.
The department recommended that the application be approved by the committee, which is chaired by IPC councillor Fillemon Hambuda.
It also recommended that Davids be given the option to pay the erf price of N$377 000 in instalments over 60 months at an interest rate of 15 % per year.
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