Homeless man dies of ‘hunger’ in state care
Ogone Tlhage
WINDHOEK
The death of Willem Gariseb, on suspicion of hunger, has shone light on the plight of a group of homeless people government moved to the Katutura Youth Complex and Khomasdal Stadium in 2020 – initially because of Covid-19.Frustrated officials in government revealed that many state agencies have gradually turned their backs on the group – which allegedly had its last food supply from government in April.
While Gariseb was epileptic, there is growing conviction that hunger played its part in his death on Thursday, 26 May, because of the lack of food at the stadium.
Homeless people living at the stadium said they had been sleeping in tents provided at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, with little to no change to their living conditions since.
“We have been living in the same tents since that time. We even had to stop our agriculture projects to sustain ourselves because the pipe is far from where we live,” they said.
The other issue was that they had not been told where they could register to get food vouchers since President Hage Geingob’s food bank initiative was scrapped.
The initiative was modified into cash transfers of N$500 to selected households in the country.
“Under Harambee [food bank], we got food. Now we are told people have to register to get food. People stopped getting food since April,” the homeless at the stadium said.
Bear the brunt
A government official added: “The ministry of poverty eradication used to distribute food, but now they give food receipts. However, the homeless at the Khomasdal Stadium were never registered. It’s a situation that there has been no food since May.”
The Khomas Regional Council, which had never played a key role in the placement of the homeless persons, was now also being made to bear the brunt of decisions it was never party to, its officials said.
“The regional council is now taking food to the people at the stadium but it is not mandated to assist. The regional council was never involved in the matter and the ministers assigned are not doing anything.”
Of concern to the officials was that many of the homeless at the stadium had medical ailments, but could not take their medicine due to a lack of food.
“There are people who are on medication without any food. The ministry of health also withdrew all its social workers from the stadium,” officials said.
Psychological support
Heath ministry executive director Ben Nangombe denied the claims, saying psychological support was still being provided.
“Social workers continue to provide counselling, utilising the group session approach. Due to staff constraints, social workers are not deployed at the facility on a full-time basis,” he said.
Officials say the ministry of urban and rural development had also been tasked to initiate a reintegration plan to move the homeless back into society, but said nothing was happening with regards to the plan.
According to its executive director Nghidinua Daniel, government is seized with the matter.
“The cooperation of the people concerned is critical. A number of the people have chronic health conditions, psychosocial challenges and others are not willing to go back or be reunited with their families,” he said.
“It is a challenge on the part of the government on how to best help and especially without the willingness on the part of those to be assisted. But the government team and volunteers are continuing to do their best,” he added.
Pass the buck
Office of the Prime Minister executive director I-Ben Nashandi declined to comment, simply saying: “Kindly consult the relevant office, ministry or agency”.
Namibian Sun has it on good authority that the Directorate of Disaster Risk Management in the Office of the Prime Minister had a rice consignment donated by the Japanese government but only distributed it to drought-stricken Namibians in the Kunene, Erongo and Omusati regions.
City of Windhoek spokesperson Harold Akweenye said consultation was still ongoing with regards to the future of the homeless people at the City’s two facilities.
“A coordinated and collective effort is needed to solve the problem of homelessness as their needs and challenges are diverse and complex,” he said.
WINDHOEK
The death of Willem Gariseb, on suspicion of hunger, has shone light on the plight of a group of homeless people government moved to the Katutura Youth Complex and Khomasdal Stadium in 2020 – initially because of Covid-19.Frustrated officials in government revealed that many state agencies have gradually turned their backs on the group – which allegedly had its last food supply from government in April.
While Gariseb was epileptic, there is growing conviction that hunger played its part in his death on Thursday, 26 May, because of the lack of food at the stadium.
Homeless people living at the stadium said they had been sleeping in tents provided at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, with little to no change to their living conditions since.
“We have been living in the same tents since that time. We even had to stop our agriculture projects to sustain ourselves because the pipe is far from where we live,” they said.
The other issue was that they had not been told where they could register to get food vouchers since President Hage Geingob’s food bank initiative was scrapped.
The initiative was modified into cash transfers of N$500 to selected households in the country.
“Under Harambee [food bank], we got food. Now we are told people have to register to get food. People stopped getting food since April,” the homeless at the stadium said.
Bear the brunt
A government official added: “The ministry of poverty eradication used to distribute food, but now they give food receipts. However, the homeless at the Khomasdal Stadium were never registered. It’s a situation that there has been no food since May.”
The Khomas Regional Council, which had never played a key role in the placement of the homeless persons, was now also being made to bear the brunt of decisions it was never party to, its officials said.
“The regional council is now taking food to the people at the stadium but it is not mandated to assist. The regional council was never involved in the matter and the ministers assigned are not doing anything.”
Of concern to the officials was that many of the homeless at the stadium had medical ailments, but could not take their medicine due to a lack of food.
“There are people who are on medication without any food. The ministry of health also withdrew all its social workers from the stadium,” officials said.
Psychological support
Heath ministry executive director Ben Nangombe denied the claims, saying psychological support was still being provided.
“Social workers continue to provide counselling, utilising the group session approach. Due to staff constraints, social workers are not deployed at the facility on a full-time basis,” he said.
Officials say the ministry of urban and rural development had also been tasked to initiate a reintegration plan to move the homeless back into society, but said nothing was happening with regards to the plan.
According to its executive director Nghidinua Daniel, government is seized with the matter.
“The cooperation of the people concerned is critical. A number of the people have chronic health conditions, psychosocial challenges and others are not willing to go back or be reunited with their families,” he said.
“It is a challenge on the part of the government on how to best help and especially without the willingness on the part of those to be assisted. But the government team and volunteers are continuing to do their best,” he added.
Pass the buck
Office of the Prime Minister executive director I-Ben Nashandi declined to comment, simply saying: “Kindly consult the relevant office, ministry or agency”.
Namibian Sun has it on good authority that the Directorate of Disaster Risk Management in the Office of the Prime Minister had a rice consignment donated by the Japanese government but only distributed it to drought-stricken Namibians in the Kunene, Erongo and Omusati regions.
City of Windhoek spokesperson Harold Akweenye said consultation was still ongoing with regards to the future of the homeless people at the City’s two facilities.
“A coordinated and collective effort is needed to solve the problem of homelessness as their needs and challenges are diverse and complex,” he said.
Comments
John Samuel
The government doesn't want to take responsibility. Even Nangombe responses was blatant laying. I am 24/7 within this groups. They just don't want do anything with the homeless. I even went to the extent to approached the human rights assistant sender with no success. Authorities are honestly with no doubt vigorously ignorant.