1986 Walvis Bay bomb victims remembered
Tragedy prompted the creation of the Mayoral Fund
A plaque commemorating the five victims of the deadly 1986 Atlantic Meat Market bomb blast was unveiled in Walvis Bay on Monday.
The victims of the 1986 Atlantic Meat Market bomb blast were finally honoured on Monday with a commemorative plaque at the site, now known as Charlie’s Meat Market, in Walvis Bay.
In August, the anniversary month of the bombing, local journalists Taati Niilenge and Isidor Shilongo took the initiative to produce a documentary by interviewing some of the survivors and their families about the devastating bombing that shook the Walvis Bay CBD.
Tragedy struck on 2 August 1986, when a bomb exploded in the butchery, claiming the lives of five people, injuring countless others and leaving lasting scars on the lives of the Walvis Bay community.
The plaque reads: "In memory of the Atlantic Meat Market bomb victims and survivors," along with the date and names of the deceased: Morris Rodkin, Hettie Rodkin, Denise Beets, Shitenga Alfeus and Magdalena Matsius.
Remembrance
Niilenge said seeing the project finally come to fruition has been an emotional experience.
“I know they've been waiting for this for a long time. I’ve heard about this bomb since I was a little girl. My grandparents used to tell me about it. Everybody used to tell me about it. We’ve been coming to this meat market for as long as I can remember. But then I just decided that nobody did anything about these people. Everybody was forgotten".
She added: "It wasn't just a family tragedy; it was a town tragedy. It really affected this whole town. Everybody had a story about it. And there were people who were mourning. There were family members who thought that nothing was done. We lost our people, and it just faded away. So it feels good, you know, after this documentary, to see that something came out of it.”
Community stands together
Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes, who unveiled the plaque yesterday, said the tragedy was the foundation of the Mayoral Fund.
“When this bomb blast occurred, the business community of Walvis Bay, they all chipped in and raised a fund. And what was left of that fund eventually became the Mayoral Fund".
Forbes underlined that "until this day, when disaster strikes Walvis Bay, the sense of community and togetherness is always there. And it has been there since that time up to now".
He said the plaque aims to "commemorate and appreciate those people, the families of those who lost their lives in this bomb blast, and just to bring some form of closure to the families. Because it was something that was lacking. We need to remember those who lost their lives during that time.”
The documentary is available on order from Taati Niilenge at 081 249 1161
In August, the anniversary month of the bombing, local journalists Taati Niilenge and Isidor Shilongo took the initiative to produce a documentary by interviewing some of the survivors and their families about the devastating bombing that shook the Walvis Bay CBD.
Tragedy struck on 2 August 1986, when a bomb exploded in the butchery, claiming the lives of five people, injuring countless others and leaving lasting scars on the lives of the Walvis Bay community.
The plaque reads: "In memory of the Atlantic Meat Market bomb victims and survivors," along with the date and names of the deceased: Morris Rodkin, Hettie Rodkin, Denise Beets, Shitenga Alfeus and Magdalena Matsius.
Remembrance
Niilenge said seeing the project finally come to fruition has been an emotional experience.
“I know they've been waiting for this for a long time. I’ve heard about this bomb since I was a little girl. My grandparents used to tell me about it. Everybody used to tell me about it. We’ve been coming to this meat market for as long as I can remember. But then I just decided that nobody did anything about these people. Everybody was forgotten".
She added: "It wasn't just a family tragedy; it was a town tragedy. It really affected this whole town. Everybody had a story about it. And there were people who were mourning. There were family members who thought that nothing was done. We lost our people, and it just faded away. So it feels good, you know, after this documentary, to see that something came out of it.”
Community stands together
Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes, who unveiled the plaque yesterday, said the tragedy was the foundation of the Mayoral Fund.
“When this bomb blast occurred, the business community of Walvis Bay, they all chipped in and raised a fund. And what was left of that fund eventually became the Mayoral Fund".
Forbes underlined that "until this day, when disaster strikes Walvis Bay, the sense of community and togetherness is always there. And it has been there since that time up to now".
He said the plaque aims to "commemorate and appreciate those people, the families of those who lost their lives in this bomb blast, and just to bring some form of closure to the families. Because it was something that was lacking. We need to remember those who lost their lives during that time.”
The documentary is available on order from Taati Niilenge at 081 249 1161
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