Where is your allegiance? On 10 November, South African President Jacob Zuma survived his third vote of no confidence in the parliament of that country. His third for the year. The votes were 126 for with 214 against.It is difficult to comprehend members of parliament and ministers, who are paid with public funds, feeling so little for the country and its people, which they serve.
Certainly, the Democratic Alliance did not bring the motion as a political ploy. The Zuma administration has been a shambles from the very outset and few presidents in our immediate region have been plagued with so much scandal and chaos.
One can thus deduce, and fairly so, that those civil servants in that parliament, those 214 and those who abstained, feel nothing for the people or the country they serve.
And so it is with Rehoboth.
Willie Swartz has been in the firing line for roughly three or more years. He is a human resources manager. He is not a CEO or a mayor. He has not made any positive difference to the town or its people. Yet, scandal and rumours have followed him … and continue to do so.
The CEO suspended Swartz so that an investigation into the more than 20 counts of fraud, harassment, embezzlement and corruption could be investigated without hindrance. The council however, voted to reinstate him. Suspension would have been with pay so the reason to vote to keep him at the office confounds.
Unless it is a political or Swapo issue.
If these councillors had the interests of Rehoboth and its people at heart, why would they want to keep the human resources manager there while these severe charges against him are being investigated? What could possibly be the motive? Because it cannot be the best interests of the town and its people.
Why are people like this doing the jobs they do and taking ratepayers'' money every month?
Behaviour like this, as well as that of the South African parliament members, smacks of lining your pockets and butt-licking. It shows there is no interest in transparency, rate- and taxpayers'' interests at all.
And there lies the real problem.