Mariental cleans up act

RELIEF work at Mariental is continuing despite instances of disunity among those responsible for relief distribution, and scepticism over whether donated food and material is actually reaching the intended beneficiaries.

Municipality CEO Paul Nghiwilepo yesterday said the municipality was making every effort to sort out problems to the benefit of all. Nghiwilepo earlier this week confirmed that there had been a dispute between Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse and the Dutch Reformed (NG) Church over the distribution of food received by the church, but said that this had been sorted out to the satisfaction of both parties.According to reports, the Governor ordered the church to hand over donations received by them, which created bad blood between the two parties.”We had a discussion and that was sorted out,” Nghiwilepo said.”We have to concentrate on getting things back in order and we can’t afford disunity.”Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, the church’s Dominee Gawie Cloete said that the church had put the situation behind them.”Everything is in order with us.It would have been difficult to control the distribution from a lot of different points, so we’re happy.We just started with our programme before the municipality did, but we’re happy to work with them,” Cloete said.Nghiwilepo yesterday also acknowledged that there had been some glitches in registering relief beneficiaries, but said that this had also been sorted out.He says it was difficult to establish just how many people were receiving help from the municipal programme, as some people had registered but had not come to collect anything, while others only collected mineral water and no food.”At the end of the day the Prime Minister’s office wants to know who we fed and what was done with the donations,” he said, adding that they were placing great emphasis on accountability.The municipality had registered about 2 000 people as flood victims, Nghiwilepo said yesterday.Earlier the Red Cross said that 14 000 people were in need of aid, but clarified yesterday that by this they meant the entire population of Mariental whose water and sanitation had been affected.Red Cross National Programme and Operations Manager Abel Augustinio said that the temporary water-purification plant suggested by the Red Cross soon after the floods would no longer be needed, as the situation at the town was “improving quickly”.Regarding the health situation, by yesterday afternoon Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Kalumbi Shangula said that since the start of the flood, 31 cases of diarrhoea had been reported to the Mariental State Hospital.NamWater tested the town’s water quality after its pipelines were contaminated with floodwater and the results should be available today.Nghiwilepo earlier this week confirmed that there had been a dispute between Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse and the Dutch Reformed (NG) Church over the distribution of food received by the church, but said that this had been sorted out to the satisfaction of both parties.According to reports, the Governor ordered the church to hand over donations received by them, which created bad blood between the two parties.”We had a discussion and that was sorted out,” Nghiwilepo said.”We have to concentrate on getting things back in order and we can’t afford disunity.”Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, the church’s Dominee Gawie Cloete said that the church had put the situation behind them.”Everything is in order with us.It would have been difficult to control the distribution from a lot of different points, so we’re happy.We just started with our programme before the municipality did, but we’re happy to work with them,” Cloete said.Nghiwilepo yesterday also acknowledged that there had been some glitches in registering relief beneficiaries, but said that this had also been sorted out.He says it was difficult to establish just how many people were receiving help from the municipal programme, as some people had registered but had not come to collect anything, while others only collected mineral water and no food.”At the end of the day the Prime Minister’s office wants to know who we fed and what was done with the donations,” he said, adding that they were placing great emphasis on accountability.The municipality had registered about 2 000 people as flood victims, Nghiwilepo said yesterday.Earlier the Red Cross said that 14 000 people were in need of aid, but clarified yesterday that by this they meant the entire population of Mariental whose water and sanitation had been affected.Red Cross National Programme and Operations Manager Abel Augustinio said that the temporary water-purification plant suggested by the Red Cross soon after the floods would no longer be needed, as the situation at the town was “improving quickly”.Regarding the health situation, by yesterday afternoon Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Kalumbi Shangula said that since the start of the flood, 31 cases of diarrhoea had been reported to the Mariental State Hospital.NamWater tested the town’s water quality after its pipelines were contaminated with floodwater and the results should be available today.