Sixteen years of living at Tsumeb dumpsite
Destitution forces families into filth
Poverty and other social hardships have pushed six families into the Tsumeb dumpsite, risking their lives and health.
The Tsumeb dumpsite is not only a filthy eyesore of discarded waste, it is also home to six men, their partners and children. Some of these families have been living at the dumpsite since 2009.
Rampant poverty, unemployment and tough economic conditions in the country have driven them to the extreme of surviving by sorting through the trash.
The majority hail from Tsumeb, while others have come from as far as Oshivelo, hoping to find a better life.
Besides those who permanently live at the site, a significant number of people come here daily to scramble through the waste, in search of that which they deem treasure.
Joel Matheus (40) is the eldest and the longest permanent resident of the Tsumeb dumpsite. He’s been living here since 2009.
Namibian Sun’s visit to the site over the weekend was something of a reunion with Moses, whose story we narrated in 2018.
“Jy is terug? (You are back),” Matheus said when he saw this reporter.
In 2018, Matheus, who had appointed himself as the 'site controller', was making a living by collecting material he used to make chairs and tables. He also gathered bits of metal, which he sold at the scrapyard.
“My brother, we are still here. Life is just becoming worse by the day. If you remember back then, I used to manufacture tables and chairs. I no longer do that because the materials are not there anymore,” Matheus said.
“We are only pushing through by the grace of God. We hope that things get better.”
Some group members said they manage to scrape together a few dollars by selling scrap materials for about N$3 per kilogram. However, an entire day can pass without a meal.
“We sell the tins at the scrapyard, and if you get that N$5 or N$10, one has to go see what you can get to eat. If it was a bad day at the ‘office’, you go to bed hungry, and will be forced to make a plan the next day,” they said.
No to crime
However, they assert that they would rather opt to live on scraps than commit crime.
“Other people who found themselves in our situation have resorted to committing crime to survive, but that is something we will not do. That is why after years since you last visited, we are still here.
“We know there is a God, and He can see our suffering. We will keep hoping that things get better,” they said.
In terms of how they handle the health hazards of living at the dump, group members said they know about hygiene and what is safe for them.
“People might have the perception that we eat dirty and rotten food but that is not the case. With the little money we get from selling scrap things, we buy bread in the shops, where everyone else buys. We cook our food with water in a clean pot, just like anyone else,” they said.
“The only difference is that we live in a filthy environment because of our situations.
“We don’t just eat anything, we know what is good for us and what is not.”
Members of the group say they are prepared to do any kind of small jobs, and appeal to those driving past and through the town to consider their needs and assist where they can.
No to baby dumping
Apart from finding treasure, group members said over the years they have made the gruesome discoveries of babies discarded among the refuse.
They claim this year alone they made three such discoveries.
“When we go through the trash, we find those dumped babies. We then alert the police, who come and collect them to investigate further.”
However, the group members say they never know if the culprits are brought to book, since the police don’t give them any feedback.
“[This is] something we would appreciate,” they said.
“We encourage people not to do such things, like killing children.”
Filthy eyesore
A drive through the dumpsite is unpleasant for the senses, and due to there being no fence, community members often dump their waste wherever they please.
This has seen the dumpsite expand up to the B1 main road.
When questioned about conditions at the dumpsite, Tsumeb mayor Mathews Hangula acknowledged that it is worrisome but said plans are underway to address the matter.
Hangula said the municipality has secured 15 hectares of land for the construction of a new dumpsite, before the existing one is decommissioned.
“The Environmental Impact Assessment was done, and we got the certificate. It’s just a matter of time for the planning and surveying to be done.”
However, Hangula indicated that there are cost implications involved.
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Rampant poverty, unemployment and tough economic conditions in the country have driven them to the extreme of surviving by sorting through the trash.
The majority hail from Tsumeb, while others have come from as far as Oshivelo, hoping to find a better life.
Besides those who permanently live at the site, a significant number of people come here daily to scramble through the waste, in search of that which they deem treasure.
Joel Matheus (40) is the eldest and the longest permanent resident of the Tsumeb dumpsite. He’s been living here since 2009.
Namibian Sun’s visit to the site over the weekend was something of a reunion with Moses, whose story we narrated in 2018.
“Jy is terug? (You are back),” Matheus said when he saw this reporter.
In 2018, Matheus, who had appointed himself as the 'site controller', was making a living by collecting material he used to make chairs and tables. He also gathered bits of metal, which he sold at the scrapyard.
“My brother, we are still here. Life is just becoming worse by the day. If you remember back then, I used to manufacture tables and chairs. I no longer do that because the materials are not there anymore,” Matheus said.
“We are only pushing through by the grace of God. We hope that things get better.”
Some group members said they manage to scrape together a few dollars by selling scrap materials for about N$3 per kilogram. However, an entire day can pass without a meal.
“We sell the tins at the scrapyard, and if you get that N$5 or N$10, one has to go see what you can get to eat. If it was a bad day at the ‘office’, you go to bed hungry, and will be forced to make a plan the next day,” they said.
No to crime
However, they assert that they would rather opt to live on scraps than commit crime.
“Other people who found themselves in our situation have resorted to committing crime to survive, but that is something we will not do. That is why after years since you last visited, we are still here.
“We know there is a God, and He can see our suffering. We will keep hoping that things get better,” they said.
In terms of how they handle the health hazards of living at the dump, group members said they know about hygiene and what is safe for them.
“People might have the perception that we eat dirty and rotten food but that is not the case. With the little money we get from selling scrap things, we buy bread in the shops, where everyone else buys. We cook our food with water in a clean pot, just like anyone else,” they said.
“The only difference is that we live in a filthy environment because of our situations.
“We don’t just eat anything, we know what is good for us and what is not.”
Members of the group say they are prepared to do any kind of small jobs, and appeal to those driving past and through the town to consider their needs and assist where they can.
No to baby dumping
Apart from finding treasure, group members said over the years they have made the gruesome discoveries of babies discarded among the refuse.
They claim this year alone they made three such discoveries.
“When we go through the trash, we find those dumped babies. We then alert the police, who come and collect them to investigate further.”
However, the group members say they never know if the culprits are brought to book, since the police don’t give them any feedback.
“[This is] something we would appreciate,” they said.
“We encourage people not to do such things, like killing children.”
Filthy eyesore
A drive through the dumpsite is unpleasant for the senses, and due to there being no fence, community members often dump their waste wherever they please.
This has seen the dumpsite expand up to the B1 main road.
When questioned about conditions at the dumpsite, Tsumeb mayor Mathews Hangula acknowledged that it is worrisome but said plans are underway to address the matter.
Hangula said the municipality has secured 15 hectares of land for the construction of a new dumpsite, before the existing one is decommissioned.
“The Environmental Impact Assessment was done, and we got the certificate. It’s just a matter of time for the planning and surveying to be done.”
However, Hangula indicated that there are cost implications involved.
– [email protected]
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