Women attacked at Avis Dam

By: TANJA BAUSE

FOUR women walking their dogs not far from Avis Dam were threatened and robbed early on Saturday morning.

The women, who did not want to be named, said they regularly

exercised their dogs at the dam and, since the environmental group

Greenspace initiated security patrols last year, the area had been

free of such incidents.

The women say that when approached by three suspicious-looking

men they cut across the field with the 10 dogs they were walking

back to their vehicles.

 

But they were cut off and one of the men fired a shot after one

of the women broke into a run.

 

She managed to fend off her attacker with pepper spray.

 

It appeared that his gun then failed to go off, as he resorted

to throwing stones at her retreating figure.

 

The woman needed medical help for injuries sustained when she

was struck by some of the stones.

 

Meanwhile, her friends were robbed while being threatened with a

panga.

 

The men then fled into the bushes.

 

One of the victims later said defiantly: "People should not be

scared to come to Avis Dam.

 

The more we are, the safer we will be.

 

There is safety in numbers".

 

Greenspace co-Chair Melle Orford told The Namibian that

Saturday's incident was unfortunate but gave am assurance that the

immediate vicinity of the dam was safe.

 

"We are very disappointed about what happened.

 

Avis has become a safe place since we [the Greenspace] took over

and it has become a nice recreation area.

 

This puts people off.

 

It is unacceptable that people can't enjoy themselves in the

outdoors without the threat of crime".

 

Greenspace rents the dam from the Windhoek Municipality, and

frequent visitors and members of the organisation pay N$1 to enter

the area.

 

Orford encouraged visitors to stay within near the dam, saying

it was difficult to monitor people who ventured into the hills.

 

* Additional reporting by Lindsay Dentlinger

 

The women say that when approached by three suspicious-looking men

they cut across the field with the 10 dogs they were walking back

to their vehicles. But they were cut off and one of the men fired a

shot after one of the women broke into a run. She managed to fend

off her attacker with pepper spray. It appeared that his gun then

failed to go off, as he resorted to throwing stones at her

retreating figure. The woman needed medical help for injuries

sustained when she was struck by some of the stones. Meanwhile, her

friends were robbed while being threatened with a panga. The men

then fled into the bushes. One of the victims later said defiantly:

"People should not be scared to come to Avis Dam. The more we are,

the safer we will be. There is safety in numbers". Greenspace

co-Chair Melle Orford told The Namibian that Saturday's incident

was unfortunate but gave am assurance that the immediate vicinity

of the dam was safe. "We are very disappointed about what happened.

Avis has become a safe place since we [the Greenspace] took over

and it has become a nice recreation area. This puts people off. It

is unacceptable that people can't enjoy themselves in the outdoors

without the threat of crime". Greenspace rents the dam from the

Windhoek Municipality, and frequent visitors and members of the

organisation pay N$1 to enter the area. Orford encouraged visitors

to stay within near the dam, saying it was difficult to monitor

people who ventured into the hills. * Additional reporting by

Lindsay Dentlinger

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