Aroab wants Swartbooi back Aroab residents are taking to the streets today to demand that President Hage Geingob remove //Karas Region governor Lucia Basson and reinstate her predecessor, Clinton Swartbooi.Aroab Small Farmers'' Union secretary Gertjie Witbooi, who is at the helm of the preparations for the peaceful demonstration, said the group had been discriminated against by the governor, who called them South Africans and said they were not Namibian.
“We feel she has violated our constitutional and human rights and must be removed. We want a new governor or our former governor Swartbooi because he is a good leader who cares about the people of the region,” said Witbooi.
According to him, Swartbooi showed interest in their plight and therefore should be brought back.
At least 20 Aroab small-scale farmers moved their animals to the government farm Dickbush about 45km west of Aroab, demanding that they be resettled there
Following this invasion, Basson told Namibian Sun that the 25 small-scale farmers from Aroab, who had unsuccessfully applied for resettlement, had a “problematic” case because they are South Africans.
At the time she also criticised the fact that many of the residents had failed to apply for national documents. Witbooi said the farm is situated close to Aroab, which would make it easier for farmers to commute and to monitor their animals in their absence.
JEMIMA BEUKES