BETHANIE: The case whereby 52 residents of Bethanie village were summoned to appear in the High Court to justify their actions for not adhering to an eviction notice from village council was discharged Friday.
The group was protesting the renewal of the employment contract of the council’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Willy Humphries demanding that it should be terminated.
Group spokesperson Hendrik Jansen confirmed to Nampa Sunday that the court decided not to proceed with the case because the plaintiff (council) has no evidence that they were camping on Erf 34.
The council filed an affidavit with the High Court, requesting the court to order the protesters to vacate the council’s plot (Erf 34) after they ignored the eviction notice from council.
Residents, however, argued that they were not camping on Erf 34, but in a corridor that in their view does not belong to council.
It is also suspected that after the group dismantles the camp last Monday following the summons, the court decided not to continue with the case anymore.
Protesters said they went home but still demand that the council provides them with the answers on the petition they gave last year.
They have been camping there for almost 10 months until Monday when they decide to go home.
So far the council did not reply on the protesters petition that demands that Humphries contract be terminated because it was allegedly renewed against the right procedures.
Jansen told the agency that after the court let them off the hook, they were advised outside the court not to return to the plot and camp anymore but to view their grievances in a different way.
The spokesperson and four other representatives from the group were present in the High Court Friday.
According to Jansen State Attorney Nelson Mutorwa represented the council.
Bethanie is located nearly 130 kilometres south-west of Keetmanshoop in the Karas Region.
(edited)BETHANIE) – The case of 52 Bethanie residents who were summoned to appear in the Windhoek High Court to justify their action of not adhering to an eviction notice, was dropped on Friday.
The group was protesting against the renewal of the employment contract of the Bethanie Village Council’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Willy Humphries, demanding that it should be terminated.
Group spokesperson Hendrik Jansen confirmed to Nampa on Sunday that the court decided not to proceed with the case, because the plaintiff (council) does not have evidence that the group was camping on Erf 34 – council land.
The council filed an affidavit with the High Court, requesting the court to order the protesters to vacate the council plot. This followed an eviction notice from council for the protesters to vacate the piece of land, which they ignored.
Residents, however, argued that they were not camping on Erf 34, but in a corridor that, in their view, does not belong to council.
It is also suspected that the Court decided not to continue with the case after the group dismantled the camp last Monday following the summons.
Protesters said they went home but still demand that the council provides them with answers on the petition they gave on 21 September last year.
They have been camping there for almost 10 months until Monday when they decide to go home.
The council has not yet replied to the protesters’ petition that demands that Humphries’ contract be terminated, because it was allegedly renewed unlawfully.
Jansen told this agency that after the court ‘let them off the hook’, they were advised not to return to the plot, but to address their grievances in a different way.
The spokesperson and four other representatives from the group were present in the High Court Friday.
State Attorney Nelson Mutorwa represented the council.
Bethanie is located nearly 130 kilometres south-west of Keetmanshoop in the Karas Region.