Dolam flood victims get own assessment

THE Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) will ask independent engineers to determine the cause of the flooding of 14 houses in Katutura’s Dolam location in January.

Eveline //Naris of the LAC says they will also get independent assessors to assess the cost of the damage caused by the flood. She told The Namibian that the lawyers for the affected families arrived at this decision after the Windhoek Municipality refused to give them its assessors’ and engineers’ reports.LAC is giving legal advice to the affected families, who have been living at the Sam Nujoma Stadium since January.The stadium is just a stone’s throw from their homes.”We want to have our own evidence,” //Naris said.She said they were now getting quotes from different assessors and engineers.The affected residents claim that the flood was caused by the construction of the stadium.Last month, the City stopped providing the residents with free meals and electricity.Although a room has been provided to them to do their cooking, they have to buy their own power.The LAC has condemned the City’s decision to stop providing free meals and power.”We feel that humanitarian aid should continue until the matter is resolved,” said //Naris.The City is angry that the people do not want to return to their homes even after their dwellings were cleaned and disinfected two weeks ago.The victims are adamant that they will only go back if the City does something to prevent further flooding of their homes.They also want to know how much compensation the municipality is going to pay them.At the January City Council meeting, it was announced that the flood victims would be compensated, but no details were given.She told The Namibian that the lawyers for the affected families arrived at this decision after the Windhoek Municipality refused to give them its assessors’ and engineers’ reports.LAC is giving legal advice to the affected families, who have been living at the Sam Nujoma Stadium since January.The stadium is just a stone’s throw from their homes.”We want to have our own evidence,” //Naris said.She said they were now getting quotes from different assessors and engineers.The affected residents claim that the flood was caused by the construction of the stadium.Last month, the City stopped providing the residents with free meals and electricity.Although a room has been provided to them to do their cooking, they have to buy their own power.The LAC has condemned the City’s decision to stop providing free meals and power.”We feel that humanitarian aid should continue until the matter is resolved,” said //Naris.The City is angry that the people do not want to return to their homes even after their dwellings were cleaned and disinfected two weeks ago.The victims are adamant that they will only go back if the City does something to prevent further flooding of their homes.They also want to know how much compensation the municipality is going to pay them.At the January City Council meeting, it was announced that the flood victims would be compensated, but no details were given.