My toxic neighbour

. . . pensioner says she has been eating with flies for 13 years

“WE are suffocating here. Our lungs feel like those of smokers.”

These are the words of Loide Simon (62) from Omadiva B village near Omuthiya, who lives next to the Omuthiya Town Council’s dumpsite.

Her homestead is constantly engulfed in dark smoke and swarming with flies.

“The flies are unbearable. They sit on everything and ruin our meals. We used to eat in plastic tents to avoid them, but the tents are too old now. Now we just eat with flies.”

This has led to serious health problems for her extended family of 25 members – especially the younger children.

The dumpsite was set up amid homesteads around 15 years ago, Simon says.

She says the town council burns garbage every Friday and Monday night, resulting in nearby residents suffering due to the smoke.

“This dumpsite found me here. It releases smoke 24 hours a day and we eat with flies now. The site is disgusting smelly and an eyesore. My cattle are eating garbage from there,” she says.

Simon says the situation got worse in 2011.

“We have complained, but we are never heard. It is disheartening and to live like this hurts me every day.

“I have even found plastic in some of my cattle and the goats I have slaughtered,” she says.

“To make things worse, there is a lake behind my house and my goats are dying there. The council kept saying they would compensate me, but this has not happened. They came to inspect my house three times – but nothing.”

Simon says she is never at peace.

“The government is not helping us. Who must we go to?” she asks.

‘COUGHING EVERY DAY’

Simon says the site serves as breeding ground for bacteria, leaving residents suffering from diarrhoea, colds, flu and nausea.

“Every day a child is sick from a cough, flu or diarrhea, because the food is contaminated by flies. There is nothing we can do,” she says.

When they sleep they inhale smoke, she says.

Simon says no consultation was done with the community when the dumpsite was relocated to their village.

Medical waste is also disposed of at the site.

“I was not told anything, I just saw people erecting a fence,” she says.

NOT HEALTHY

Village headman adviser and community health officer Nangula Petrus says the dumpsite was recklessly positioned, posing a significant health hazard to residents and contaminating the environment.

“When I first came to the village, the site was okay, but right now it is problematic. They discard of medical waste there and there are people who go in there to collect materials, including children.

“The site is disgusting, smokey and smelly. The flies are worse,” she says.

She says eating has become a challenge due to the flies.

“We are constantly fighting flies. Now that it is spring, we will be in trouble with flies. There are elderly people and small children and hygiene at our village is but a dream. Our babies forever have diarrhoea,” she says.

Petrus says only one person has been compensated so far.

“If people were paid they could have left already. You cannot stay in such a smelly area,” she says.

NOT AWARE

Oshikoto regional governor Penda ya Ndakolo says the issue has not reached his office yet. He advises that the council respond.

Omuthiya mayor Johannes Ndeutepo yesterday said a decision was taken to compensate residents in the vicinity of the dumpsite.

“A budget for that was made available and the funds were received. About 11 homesteads have been compensated. Whoever is there is there on their own accord.

“Everyone who was supposed to be compensated was paid,” he said.