Acting DTA Khomas chairperson Ignatius Semba yesterday said the way government and the police were handling the struggle kids have made “a potentially destabilising situation worse”.
Semba further expressed his party’s concern about the ongoing clashes between the struggle kids, police and members of the public. Earlier this week, the struggle kids, who are camping on a piece of land in Brakwater, blockaded the B1 between Windhoek and Okahandja.
What the group described as a “peaceful protest” took a violent turn when they set bushes alight and damaged at least two police vehicles with rocks. Police made use of teargas to disperse the protesting struggle kids. Because of these recent events Semba is of the opinion that the public is becoming the victim of the struggle kids’ frustration towards the government.
In his view, their frustration has been caused by the government’s empty promises since 2009. He added that the expectation of receiving jobs and housing from the government has resulted in the struggle kids thinking that they can do whatever they want without any consequences.
“The ruling party has only made temporary solutions,” says Semba.
According to him, these solutions are only trying to help the struggle kids but not the rest of the unemployed youth in the country. He further said that if government does not solve youth unemployment, the country will experience similar situations to South Africa where members of the public used their ballots to voice their dismay with the ruling ANC who cannot develop their promises into successful solutions. Government has already taken some struggle kids to Berg Aukas outside Grootfontein, while it has also offered Farm du Plessis in the Omaheke Region to them in order undergo training. According to Semba, all unemployed youth in Namibia should receive such an opportunity.
Semba urged President Hage Geingob to set up a meeting with the group in order to find common ground to bring an end the current dispute which he says is heading for a disastrous collision.
“We cannot allow our police officers to be harassed and violated by the struggle kids anymore.
As a resident of the Khomas Region who uses the Windhoek-Okahandja road I am fearful that if an amicable solution is not found soon, we could soon be facing fatal injuries,” said Semba.
ELTON SHIPENA