No struggle kids ‘dumped’: Kazenambo

THE Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture is unaware of any children of the liberation struggle who were either forced out of the Berg Aukas National Youth Service camp or dumped under a tree.

In response to questions put by DTA Leader Filemon Moongo in Parliament yesterday, Youth Minister Kazenambo Kazenambo replied that he had reported in the House that the issues of the ‘struggle kids’ would be addressed. ‘Some struggle kids got employed, others are still at Berg Aukas, There were reports of kids causing problems like illegally getting out of Berg Aukas and harassing others,’ the Minister replied. This matter was put in a report by the commander of the Berg Aukas camp. ‘Some of these kids invaded neighbouring farms, poaching was going on and that disturbed the peace in the Grootfontein area,’ Kazenambo said.This was brought to the attention of Cabinet and attempts were made to bring the kids ‘to their senses’. ‘There was no other way to bring peace to the farms and to Berg Aukas and these struggle kids were removed, but no force was used,’ he added. It was done with the involvement of the Ministry of Safety and Security and the ‘kids were not dumped under a tree as Member Moongo alleged. After the removal of the troublemakers, peace, law and order returned to Grootfontein and surrounding farms.’In reply to Moongo’s question whether the list of struggle children could have been ‘doctored’, the Minister said it was drawn up in an orderly way. Cabinet directed ministries to employ struggle children wherever possible. ‘We are aware of some cases reported that during recruitment process, some reactionary people replaced the names of listed children with those of their family members and friends. Such incidents were reported to our ministry. Such actions are unpatriotic,’ he said.Asked whether any youngster was forcefully removed from Berg Aukas or had even died, Kazenambo said: ‘I am not aware of any kidnapping case, their removal was not kidnapping.’Moongo asked why the struggle children that were removed from Berg Aukas and taken to towns in north-central Namibia were not taken to their parents, headmen or regional councillors.’The list we have did not provide names of parents, headmen or councillors,’ the minister responded.