City Police tracing owners of abandoned houses

WINDHOEK – The Windhoek City Police has embarked on a campaign to trace the owners of abandoned houses around the capital as many of the houses are used by criminals as hideaways.

City Police spokesperson Helena Mootseng said the municipality wants to know from the owners of these abandoned houses ‘if they have no more interest in their houses’ anymore.The City Police hope to finalise the tracing of the homeowners in three months’ time, and Mootseng said they will then see how these homeowners can intervene and assist in the matter.She also asked that Windhoek residents who are aware of such abandoned houses inform the City Police about these properties.Mootseng could not say how many such houses there were in Windhoek as the City Police are still busy compiling accurate figures.Many of the houses are also used by homeless people as shelters. Nampa visited one such house located in Ernst Weiske Street in Windhoek North. The house has reportedly stood empty for more than 10 years, and has been occupied by six homeless people for more than seven months now.Ruben Rogers (27) said he moved into the house after being chased away by the City Police from a bridge in the Suiderhof residential area which he had made his home. ‘This is much better than the bridge where I slept before moving here,’ said Rogers.Another man, Gustav Plaatjies (42) said he is happy to have a roof over his head.’My mother is dead and I have no relatives to take care of me,’ he said.- Nampa