Katima chaos escalates
The Swapo party has condemned the demolition of houses by the Katima Mulilo Town Council (KMTC), which was accompanied by violence, but added that government, and not the party, must address the issue, said secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba.
“Local authorities must be careful on how they manage their towns. The party works too hard to get people to vote for us… we cannot afford to antagonise them.”
Social media was abuzz last night and reported 6 400 people were left homeless, a boy died while sleeping in a house that was demolished, and two others were shot and wounded.
Pictures of people hurt, with blood streaming down their faces made the rounds on Facebook, yet the police’s crime investigations coordinator for Zambezi, Deputy Commissioner Evans Simasiku said no-one was hurt or killed.
KMTC mayor Georgino Mwiya-Simataa confirmed demolitions are continuing “lawfully”. “People are not chased away. We just need them to go so that we can service the land.”
She said only structures and homes built in 2017 are taken down. She explained that the land in question is earmarked for a public private partnership for low-cost housing.
The Ombudsman, Advocate John Walters confirmed that a team was dispatched this morning to investigate rights violations in the town.
Human rights law firm Norman Tjombe and Elago condemned the KMTC saying it has “descended into a vigilante organisation” much like the apartheid regime. Tjombe confirmed that that they are approaching the High Court for an interdict.
JEMIMA BEUKES
“Local authorities must be careful on how they manage their towns. The party works too hard to get people to vote for us… we cannot afford to antagonise them.”
Social media was abuzz last night and reported 6 400 people were left homeless, a boy died while sleeping in a house that was demolished, and two others were shot and wounded.
Pictures of people hurt, with blood streaming down their faces made the rounds on Facebook, yet the police’s crime investigations coordinator for Zambezi, Deputy Commissioner Evans Simasiku said no-one was hurt or killed.
KMTC mayor Georgino Mwiya-Simataa confirmed demolitions are continuing “lawfully”. “People are not chased away. We just need them to go so that we can service the land.”
She said only structures and homes built in 2017 are taken down. She explained that the land in question is earmarked for a public private partnership for low-cost housing.
The Ombudsman, Advocate John Walters confirmed that a team was dispatched this morning to investigate rights violations in the town.
Human rights law firm Norman Tjombe and Elago condemned the KMTC saying it has “descended into a vigilante organisation” much like the apartheid regime. Tjombe confirmed that that they are approaching the High Court for an interdict.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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