Purge targets 4 in Hardap

SWAPO continues purging party members suspected of having links with Rally for Democracy and Progress.

Two weeks ago, former Swapo stalwart Hidipo Hamutenya and others launched RDP. The launch came just a few days after Hamutenya resigned from Swapo after 46 years.The purge went into high gear on Saturday when the Swapo Hardap leadership barred four of its leaders from the party congress starting in Windhoek today.They are the coordinator for the Priscilla Blockstein branch, Botha Basson, Rehoboth Urban East Constituency councillor Edward Wambo, Rehoboth Urban East District Co-ordinator Willie ‘Mistake’ Swartz and former Hardap Region CEO Theresia Basson, who is also the secretary of the Anton Lubowski branch.The regional executive committee informed the four that they had been withdrawn as congress delegates on Saturday, The Namibian has established.Botha Basson was allegedly removed because his wife Francis Basson, a former Swapo member, now serves in the RDP leadership.When contacted yesterday, Basson confirmed his withdrawal from the list of congress delegates.”This is none other than pure witch-hunting that led to my removal as congress delegate, but this will not force me to jump the gun,” he said.Branch Secretary Theresia Basson also confirmed she had been removed as congress delegate.However, she declined to make further comments.Swartz and Wambo were withdrawn as congress delegates because they were elected at a district conference that was declared null and void by the regional executive committee, The Namibian was reliably informed.Both Swartz and Wambo confirmed their removal as congress delegates, but also declined to comment.The launch came just a few days after Hamutenya resigned from Swapo after 46 years.The purge went into high gear on Saturday when the Swapo Hardap leadership barred four of its leaders from the party congress starting in Windhoek today.They are the coordinator for the Priscilla Blockstein branch, Botha Basson, Rehoboth Urban East Constituency councillor Edward Wambo, Rehoboth Urban East District Co-ordinator Willie ‘Mistake’ Swartz and former Hardap Region CEO Theresia Basson, who is also the secretary of the Anton Lubowski branch.The regional executive committee informed the four that they had been withdrawn as congress delegates on Saturday, The Namibian has established.Botha Basson was allegedly removed because his wife Francis Basson, a former Swapo member, now serves in the RDP leadership.When contacted yesterday, Basson confirmed his withdrawal from the list of congress delegates.”This is none other than pure witch-hunting that led to my removal as congress delegate, but this will not force me to jump the gun,” he said.Branch Secretary Theresia Basson also confirmed she had been removed as congress delegate.However, she declined to make further comments.Swartz and Wambo were withdrawn as congress delegates because they were elected at a district conference that was declared null and void by the regional executive committee, The Namibian was reliably informed.Both Swartz and Wambo confirmed their removal as congress delegates, but also declined to comment.