Venaani visits 7de Laan

THE leader of the official opposition in the National Assembly, DTA president McHenry Venaani, yesterday said he was appalled by the Windhoek City Police’s decision to dismantle 13 shacks in the 7de Laan informal settlement at Otjomuise without a court order

The City Police’s actions were also the reason why the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement lodged an urgent court application yesterday, arguing that the dismantling of the shacks was illegal.

The AR also wants the City Police to return the material they confiscated after dismantling some shacks.

Venaani, who visited some of the affected families yesterday, said land is one of the biggest problems in the country. There are also so many open spaces, but people are not allowed to settle there.

“The City of Windhoek should demarcate land for these poor people, or even build temporary structures until they put up permanent ones. We cannot treat our people this way, especially in the absence of a court order,” he said.

He questioned why the City Police dismantled the 13 shacks when there are similar ones in the same area which they left untouched.

The AR’s legal research committee is spearheading the legal proceedings, in collaboration with Henry Shimutwikeni and Kadhila Amoomo legal practitioners.

AR activist Job Amupanda confirmed that the case is with their lawyers, and that they went to court late yesterday.

Amupanda said the group is suing the City of Windhoek as first respondent, and the City Police as second respondent.

“The actions of the City Police are indicated as illegal. The condemnation of poor and uneducated people needs to stop. These people are not respected in this country. We want them to know that they are not alone. We will represent them,” Amupanda stressed. He added that with the court proceedings, the group aims to restore the rule of law, because there is a serious disregard for people’s rights in the country.

Amupanda said the aim is to declare the decision by the City Police illegal because one cannot go into someone’s house and just repossess their property.

“We want the court to order the City Police to return the affected community’s stolen items, and allow them to return to where their dismantled shacks were. We want to show poor people that they have friends in this country,” he said.

The group’s spokesperson, Penda Mulunga, said they slept outside in the rain on Tuesday night because they had to either protect their property, or had nowhere to go.

He added that the police monitored the situation all night long, and when it started to rain, they took shelter in their cars.

“We had no food because during the dismantling process, our food was destroyed,” said Mulunga.

He said some people lost their blankets when the City Police confiscated their goods.

City Police senior superintendent Gerry Shikesho said he would not comment since he was in court, and referred The Namibian to City Police chief Abraham Kanime, whose phone was unreachable.

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