Ciske resigns as Erongo council chair

After 15 months as elected chairperson of the Erongo regional council, Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member and Swakopmund constituency councillor Ciske Smith-Howard on Friday resigned as the council’s chairperson without the council having to vote on two motions of no confidence in her.

“To make it easy for this house and not to divide you further, I think the sentiments are quite clear. I will thus hand in my resignation as chair of this council so that we don’t have to go to a vote.

"I think it’s the right thing to do. I will stand by whatever this house decides, so I will not push you to a vote... So, I herewith renounce my seat as chairperson, and resign from this position,” Smith-Howard announced after an hour of deliberations during the monthly ordinary council meeting.

Smith-Howard’s fellow IPC Walvis Bay rural constituency councillor Florian Donatus and Swapo’s Omaruru constituency councillor Ernest Wetha both submitted motions of no confidence in the chairperson.

While Wetha made it clear that the motion was nothing personal, but rather done out of “moral obligation” to the Swapo Party, Donatus’s emotions suggested that his motion had a personal touch.

Personal issues

“A vote of no confidence; confidence in my heart, it’s something that is not sold somewhere in the open market where you can take money and go buy it and put it into my heart – do you understand?” Donatus told Smith-Howard in a raised voice.

“The trust that I had, the confidence; no matter what is done, there is no way you are going to take it and put it in my heart.”

In his motion, Donatus referred to the “legal restraint” placed on Smith-Howard by the IPC due to various allegations of subordination the end of last year. He accused her of defying party orders by still attending and disrupting council meetings and using foul language towards other councillors.

He said because of this, the quality of collective leadership in the council has been compromised and that the relationship between the chairperson and fellow-members has been challenged.

Wetha, in his statement, said Smith-Howard is deemed unfit to hold the position because she is incapable of providing leadership and vision, and failed to unite the ‘team’. According to him, she also made decisions that are detrimental to the effective functioning of the council, while she also failed to unite the team.

“The integrity and decorum of the council have degenerated under her watch. Because of this, the council is directionless, and she cannot be trusted with leadership,” he stated.

Responding to the motions, Smith-Howard reminded Donatus that the attorney-general in February nullified the IPCs restraint, and called it illegal. Domatus’s claims around the restraint and of her defying it were therefore unfounded.

She also questioned Donatus about the other claims – that of being disruptive and using foul language - requesting evidence. She asked the other councillors whether she ever swore at them. No one answered.

“It is clear [Donatus] has only given emotional reasons without any clear proof. He is [also] defying the AG's legal direction on the matter,” she said, further alleging that Donatus wanted her position and has influenced fellow councillors and the media.

He responded that he does not need to explain himself, and does not need to answer to any questions, as the occasion was not for him to be prosecuted.

As for Wetha’s motion that she was not loyal to the council, and did not uphold the council’s image, or show leadership, Smith-Howard reminded him that during the 15 months of her office, she was pregnant, and it was during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Regardless of this, she delivered hundreds of meals and blankets to hospitals; assisted in procuring an entire Covid-19 facility worth N$1.5 million; and personally delivered food parcels worth N$100 000 to informal settlement.

She set up greenhouses, provided vitamins to those in need, and resumed her office as chairperson shortly after she had delivered her baby. While this was happening, she was illegally restrained, which was being used by others to oppose her.

“I agree this council is divided, but it became so because individuals have allowed political leaders to dictate to this council how to operate,” she said.

“There are councillors here that have forgotten where they came from and who have put them here. They are under a spell of someone trying to pull their strings like little marionettes and the sad thing is to witness how they simply allow their powers to dwindle for the promise of power. A typical display of belly politics.”

Despite a warning to the council by UDF’s Daures constituency councillor Kennedy !Haoseb to first seek legal opinion whether to remove Smith-Howard, considering the PG’s ruling was contrary to claims contained in the motions, and that a vote on unfounded claims could come back and bite them, he did say that he did agree in principle to vote in favour of her removal.

When she asked if anyone would like to seek legal opinion, and no one answered, she announced her resignation. She will remain an ordinary council member for the Swakopmund constituency and may be part of a vote for a new chairperson.

She also indicated that she will “most certainly deal” with the unfounded allegations made against her, which she said was damaging to her reputation.

She however said that she would not challenge the motions as she would respect the decision and that going the legal route would be a waste of the council’s time and resources.