‘Ramatex stench is making our children sick’

A PUNGENT, nauseating smell emanating from the Ramatex Textile Factory is making children ill, residents living near the plant claim.

Residents of Disa Street in Khomasdal say their children start coughing and develop runny noses whenever the smell is strongest – usually at night. “My kid starts coughing when that smell comes at night and my nose starts to itch,” says Julius Kamati.He has lived in a house about 50 metres from the factory’s entrance since 1998 and says he has approached the Windhoek Municipality to do something about the smell.His two-and-a half-year-old son, Jean-Marie, reacts so badly to the smell that he sometimes keeps the family up all night, Kamati says.Upon inquiry from The Namibian, Windhoek City spokesperson Ndangi Katoma said the municipality was aware of the problem but said not much could be done immediately.He said the smell came from wastewater stored in ponds behind Ramatex, and from drying sludge.”The smell will only be reduced or done away with once the envisaged purification plant has been constructed [at the factory].The date when the plant will be ready is not known,” said Katoma.But, he said negotiations between stakeholders, namely the City, Ramatex and Government were “well underway”.Last week, the City agreed to advance an amount of N$1,9 million to start work on the purification plant to deal with the factory’s waste, which is also poisoning Windhoek’s water sources.Storage ponds often overflow during the rainy season and the factory also deliberately releases water from these dams, which cannot hold all the effluent produced by the plant.The factory uses about 2 000 kilolitres of water a day.Maria van der Westhuizen, who takes care of her three grandsons after school, says complaints about the smell are not exaggerated.”The smell is really bad.In the morning and in the afternoon it is terrible.The children constantly have chest complaints.I have to close all the windows but the smell still gets in,” she said.Another man who approached The Namibian but did not want to be named, says doctors have told him that his children’s illnesses were the result of living near the factory.”The municipality must do something.This whole area must just be declared industrial, and they must move us.I have been living here more than 10 years, but with the factory and the [Oponganda] graveyard, our property values are decreasing.These people are polluting our area,” he said.Lydia Shatilwa is another mother who maintains that her five children are constantly ill because of the smell.”My children are coughing, have runny noses and fever.We close the windows but the smell just comes inside.It is very bad when I come from work.I want this Ramatex to move.If not, they must change,” said Shatilwa.Phillip Hashali is a 12-year-old boy who likes playing outside with other children in the neighbourhood, but says when the wind starts to blow the smell gets too bad for him to stay outside and he starts coughing.Police Warrant Officer Josephaty Mandume is very angry about the situation.He has been trying to sell his house, but to no avail.”I was here before Ramatex and we were healthy.People are refusing to buy my house, because when they come to view it, the smell is here.I can’t stay here anymore, but I also can’t move,” he told The Namibian.Doctors, he says, are tired of repeatedly treating his kids for the same symptoms.”Our Government sold us very cheap.The kids are sick; we can’t sleep.We feel sold out, all for that N$3 an hour they pay the people,” he said.”My kid starts coughing when that smell comes at night and my nose starts to itch,” says Julius Kamati.He has lived in a house about 50 metres from the factory’s entrance since 1998 and says he has approached the Windhoek Municipality to do something about the smell.His two-and-a half-year-old son, Jean-Marie, reacts so badly to the smell that he sometimes keeps the family up all night, Kamati says.Upon inquiry from The Namibian, Windhoek City spokesperson Ndangi Katoma said the municipality was aware of the problem but said not much could be done immediately.He said the smell came from wastewater stored in ponds behind Ramatex, and from drying sludge.”The smell will only be reduced or done away with once the envisaged purification plant has been constructed [at the factory].The date when the plant will be ready is not known,” said Katoma. But, he said negotiations between stakeholders, namely the City, Ramatex and Government were “well underway”.Last week, the City agreed to advance an amount of N$1,9 million to start work on the purification plant to deal with the factory’s waste, which is also poisoning Windhoek’s water sources.Storage ponds often overflow during the rainy season and the factory also deliberately releases water from these dams, which cannot hold all the effluent produced by the plant.The factory uses about 2 000 kilolitres of water a day.Maria van der Westhuizen, who takes care of her three grandsons after school, says complaints about the smell are not exaggerated.”The smell is really bad.In the morning and in the afternoon it is terrible.The children constantly have chest complaints.I have to close all the windows but the smell still gets in,” she said.Another man who approached The Namibian but did not want to be named, says doctors have told him that his children’s illnesses were the result of living near the factory.”The municipality must do something.This whole area must just be declared industrial, and they must move us.I have been living here more than 10 years, but with the factory and the [Oponganda] graveyard, our property values are decreasing.These people are polluting our area,” he said.Lydia Shatilwa is another mother who maintains that her five children are constantly ill because of the smell.”My children are coughing, have runny noses and fever.We close the windows but the smell just comes inside.It is very bad when I come from work.I want this Ramatex to move.If not, they must change,” said Shatilwa.Phillip Hashali is a 12-year-old boy who likes playing outside with other children in the neighbourhood, but says when the wind starts to blow the smell gets too bad for him to stay outside and he starts coughing.Police Warrant Officer Josephaty Mandume is very angry about the situation.He has been trying to sell his house, but to no avail.”I was here before Ramatex and we were healthy.People are refusing to buy my house, because when they come to view it, the smell is here.I can’t stay here anymore, but I also can’t move,” he told The Namibian.Doctors, he says, are tired of repeatedly treating his kids for the same symptoms.”Our Government sold us very cheap.The kids are sick; we can’t sleep.We feel sold out, all for that N$3 an hour they pay the people,” he said.