Eight suicides this past weekend
The number of suicides in Namibia continues to grow and research is under way into the phenomenon.
Eight people committed suicide this past weekend.
According to police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi, the suicide victims were aged between 21 and 75, and includes 22-year-old Nyambe Songa, who was found hanging from a tree by a scarf about 5km from his home.
The deceased is believed hail from Omega 1 in the Kavango Region.
Another suicide reported is that of a 75-year-old Austrian national, who was found dead by a family nurse in his living room in Swakopmund.
“It is suspected that the deceased shot himself in the chest with a revolver, which was found next to him by a family nurse. An investigation into the matter is launched,” said Shikwambi.
In a separate incident, the body of a 37-year-old Angolan national was found just after 11:00 on Friday at farm Elaandslaagte in the Kamanjab area.
The deceased was left at the farm by his co-workers, when they went to herd goats.
According to the police the co-workers found the deceased hanging from a tree close to the house they live in. On Saturday, the body of 56-year-old Richard Tsowaseb was discovered at about 07:00 at the Golgota cemetery in Katutura by someone visiting a grave.
On the same day two other suicides were reported in Otjomuise, which includes that of 28-year-old Gift Kahipuru, who was found hanging from the roof of his shack just before midnight.
A few minutes earlier, the suicide of 21-year-old Philip Thomas was reported.
Thomas reportedly hanged himself with an electric cord from the roof of his outside room.
On Sunday, 22-year-old Jan Haimbondi killed himself followed a dispute with his girlfriend in Mukwanambwa location in Ongwediva.
On the same day, 28-year-old security guard Jonas Nadipite Amunyela shot himself with a shotgun.
His body was found outside the shack he was renting. The incident was reported to the Ondangwa police. Shikwambi said it is sad that so many suicides were reported in such a short time. “Life is probably painful and problems too overwhelming; hence many opt to end their lives.
“As it is within our mandate to save lives, we can only encourage and/or advise those who are suicidal not to take their lives, but instead seek for help from the availed government and private platforms, so that they find solutions to their problems.
“Surely there are solutions to every problem and they should remain hopeful,” Shikwambi added.
Early this month, Namibian Sun reported that 131 Namibians committed suicide between April and July this year. As a result, the health ministry contracted a scientist from the National Suicide Research Foundation in Ireland to assist it and other stakeholders to develop a strategic plan on suicidology for the country.
The magnitude of the problem also prompted the ministry to conduct a national study on suicide prevalence and interventions in 2016.
The report will be launched next month, and its findings will inform the development of the ministry's five-year national strategic plan on suicidology.
JEMIMA BEUKES
According to police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi, the suicide victims were aged between 21 and 75, and includes 22-year-old Nyambe Songa, who was found hanging from a tree by a scarf about 5km from his home.
The deceased is believed hail from Omega 1 in the Kavango Region.
Another suicide reported is that of a 75-year-old Austrian national, who was found dead by a family nurse in his living room in Swakopmund.
“It is suspected that the deceased shot himself in the chest with a revolver, which was found next to him by a family nurse. An investigation into the matter is launched,” said Shikwambi.
In a separate incident, the body of a 37-year-old Angolan national was found just after 11:00 on Friday at farm Elaandslaagte in the Kamanjab area.
The deceased was left at the farm by his co-workers, when they went to herd goats.
According to the police the co-workers found the deceased hanging from a tree close to the house they live in. On Saturday, the body of 56-year-old Richard Tsowaseb was discovered at about 07:00 at the Golgota cemetery in Katutura by someone visiting a grave.
On the same day two other suicides were reported in Otjomuise, which includes that of 28-year-old Gift Kahipuru, who was found hanging from the roof of his shack just before midnight.
A few minutes earlier, the suicide of 21-year-old Philip Thomas was reported.
Thomas reportedly hanged himself with an electric cord from the roof of his outside room.
On Sunday, 22-year-old Jan Haimbondi killed himself followed a dispute with his girlfriend in Mukwanambwa location in Ongwediva.
On the same day, 28-year-old security guard Jonas Nadipite Amunyela shot himself with a shotgun.
His body was found outside the shack he was renting. The incident was reported to the Ondangwa police. Shikwambi said it is sad that so many suicides were reported in such a short time. “Life is probably painful and problems too overwhelming; hence many opt to end their lives.
“As it is within our mandate to save lives, we can only encourage and/or advise those who are suicidal not to take their lives, but instead seek for help from the availed government and private platforms, so that they find solutions to their problems.
“Surely there are solutions to every problem and they should remain hopeful,” Shikwambi added.
Early this month, Namibian Sun reported that 131 Namibians committed suicide between April and July this year. As a result, the health ministry contracted a scientist from the National Suicide Research Foundation in Ireland to assist it and other stakeholders to develop a strategic plan on suicidology for the country.
The magnitude of the problem also prompted the ministry to conduct a national study on suicide prevalence and interventions in 2016.
The report will be launched next month, and its findings will inform the development of the ministry's five-year national strategic plan on suicidology.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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