Retraction of article

Cllr. Stanley Bikeur – Landless People Movement

In its edition of Friday 29 April this year, Namib Times carried a front page article titled: “Swapo and LPM gang up in Walvis Bay Town Council”.

In the said article reference was made to the LPM Councillor on the town council and three Swapo councillors boycotting the 5-year Planning Committee meeting scheduled for 29 and 30 April. In this meeting Council and municipal managers were involved in setting out a 5-year plan to guide Walvis Bay’s management and development in the course of the next five years.
Namib Times reported the LPM Councillor and Swapo Councillors boycotted the meeting and that only the six Councillors of the ruling coalition were present at the meeting – these are four Councillors of the IPC, one Councillor from the JWBRA and one Councillor from the PDM.
After the publication of the Namib Times the Councillor for the LPM, Cllr. Stanley Bikeur contacted the newspaper and took exception of the statement made. Cllr. Bikeur denied working with Swapo members on the Council and further said due to work engagements could not attend the planning meeting scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
Cllr. Bikeur informed his fellow Councillors by Whatsapp on a Whatsapp group for Councillors that he will not be attending the meeting.
Namib Times is taking notice of Cllr. Bikeur’s explanation and hereby withdraws the allegations made in the said article. The newspaper assures Cllr. Bikeur that there was no ill-intent to tarnish his reputation as Councillor and that the information used in the said article was taken from two Council agendas as well as additional information verified before the article was compiled.
We however, wish to give Cllr. Bikeur the benefit of the doubt and assure Cllr. Bikeur of the newspaper’s continued support for all political parties and civic group making up the Council of the Municipality of Walvis Bay.
The Council of the Municipality of Walvis Bay has a huge task on its shoulders to deliver service to the public of Walvis Bay, and it can only be achieved if all stakeholders are committed to work together and are committed to do so in harmony.