Windhoek’s homeless plead for shelter as winter bites harder than food or blankets can help

As winter grips the capital, Windhoek’s homeless are calling for lasting housing and employment solutions instead of short-term food and blanket donations.

While food and donated blankets offer short-lived comfort, those living without shelter are demanding something more meaningful.

Their fears have been intensified this week amid a drastic drop in temperatures, as Namibia officially entered winter.

Three years ago, a homeless man died on the streets of the capital after being exposed to extreme cold.

“For how long will they keep giving us the food and thin blankets they give us once every two years? We feel so left out in this country, honestly,” says Reinhald van Rooi (28), who has resorted to camping under a bridge in Klein Windhoek.

For him, life on the streets is not temporary – it’s been years since he had a roof over his head.

Sydney Haraseb (36) has been homeless for more than 10 years.

He says the new government may bring hope of a better future for him and his homeless friends.

“After we lost our friend from the cold a few years ago, we realised this thing of begging for temporary items from our government will not be helpful in the long run.

“I’m afraid we could lose so many homeless people this winter if nothing is done, including myself, because this winter is not different from the one that killed our friend in 2022,” Haraseb says.

He and others like him say they appreciate gestures of compassion, but handouts have done little to change their reality.

Sleeping under bridges, in parks, and behind buildings has become the norm and is a dangerous, humiliating and unstable existence. Ricky Uirab says the winter months are especially brutal.

“We get sick from the cold. We get chased away by the police. And we still have nowhere to go. Only a few people give us food sometimes, but after you eat, you still have to sleep outside. We are tired.

DRINKING TO FORGET

“How about employment, even just cleaning yards or something. Because we get drunk often people think we cannot do work, but what they don’t know is we get drunk to forget about our problems,” he says.

Van Rooi, however, says not everyone who is homeless is a criminal or a drug user.

“People think we are lazy or thieves, but some of us used to have jobs, families, and normal lives. Things just went wrong, but we still deserve a chance to get back on our feet,” he says.

Van Rooi believes the government has the capacity to assist the homeless with long-term solutions if there is enough political will.

“Even if it’s old government buildings or land somewhere, we could stay and build something. Give us a chance to live like people,” he says.

Khomasdal Stadium in the capital is home to several homeless individuals who also dream of permanent solutions.

Their immediate plea is for help to survive this winter.

Henry Uirab (25) says even a simple blanket could help save lives.

“It’s really cold at night. We’re not asking for houses right now, but at least give us warm blankets. People think we can survive the cold just like that, but we are human too,” he says.

Mano Janser (39) shares the same concern.

“I wish there was a long-term plan, but for now, I just want to make it through the winter. A warm meal and a proper blanket could mean everything,” he says.

Lucian Lodewyk (19), the youngest of the group, says the conditions are especially hard for those with no experience surviving on the streets.

‘I JUST WANT WARMTH’

“This is my first winter out here. I didn’t expect it to be this hard. I just want a little warmth, something to cover myself with,” she says.

Approached for comment, minister of gender equality and child welfare Emma Kantema-Gaomas yesterday said she was not aware of the situation.

“I know that during Covid, those people were transferred. I know some are at Katutura at the youth complex, some at Khomasdal, but I do not have much information,” she said.

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