October 16, 2024

_: Leader of the Landless People ‘ s Movement ( LPM ), Bernadus Swartbooi , was on Sunday honoured by the Mariental Municipality when it renamed Koichas Road in his honour . Mariental Municipality Chief Executive Officer ( CEO ), Paul Nghiwilepo ; the town ‘ s mayor , Cherien Kock ; deputy mayor , Andy Boois ; local village councillors and a large number of LPM supporters gathered to witness the adoption of the street name in Swartbooi ‘ s honour . The event took place at the fire brigade facility in Mariental . In his acceptance speech , Swartbooi explained his connection to Mariental . ‘ Mariental and I share a maternal bond because my great – grandparents raised me here during the apartheid era . I consider it an honour to have been given a street name in Mariental for that reason ,’ he said . In the keynote address , Kock explained why the Mariental Municipality elected to rename the street after Swartbooi . ‘ When future generations and residents of Mariental ask who Bernadus Swartbooi was and why a stre
et was named after you , they will be able to read for themselves about your remarkable achievements ,’ stated Kock . Koichas Road , which has now been renamed to Bernadus Swartbooi Street , links the town to the Aimablaagte residential area .

Source: The Namibia Press Agency