SWATF and Koevoet members demand N$36-million retrenchment packages

Former South West Africa Territory Force (SWATF) and Koevoet police unit members are demanding the immediate restitution and payment of N$36 million with interest to the “rightful” beneficiaries.

They are also demanding formal recognition of former SWATF and Koevoet members as war veterans with equal rights and dignity as Namibian citizens.

In an open letter written by the Namibia Democratic Alliance (NDA) to president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, NDA leader Johannes Linus says they are disturbed by reports that a retrenchment package of N$36 million, earmarked specifically for SWATF and Koevoet veterans, was allegedly misappropriated by the government after independence.

Linus says the money was not a gift, but a contractual obligation as part of the demobilisation and reintegration process agreed on during the transition to independence and backed by international frameworks.

“These veterans, regardless of political affiliation, served under legitimate command structures during a time of conflict. They were promised compensation upon demobilisation. Yet for over three decades, they have lived in poverty, labelled as enemies in their own homeland, while the benefits due to them were stolen, misused, or simply vanished without explanation,” Linus charges.

The South West Africa Territory Force was a military force established in Namibia by the South African government to counter the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan), Swapo’s military wing, during Namibia’s pre-independence liberation war.

Koevoet was a paramilitary police unit during apartheid-era South Africa’s illegal occupation of Namibia. The unit was notorious for committing acts of brutality against civilians.

In 1992, the South African government reportedly paid more than N$36 million to Namibia for former SWATF and Koevoet members, but according to reports the Namibian government in the spirit of reconciliation decided to divide the money up into three parts of N$12 million each, and the funds were not paid to former SWATF and Koevoet members.

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