Tsumeb – A group of families evicted in February from Farm Berg Aukas some 20 kilometres outside Grootfontein are still stranded next to the road with nowhere to go, and are now appealing to the government to help shield them from the unfriendly cold winter.
The landless group have endured harsh conditions for the past four months. Having endured the rains they have now resigned themselves to the freezing cold weather.
The group who are said to be residing in makeshift structures made out of cartons and old zinc materials have appealed to government to intervene as they feel the cold weather will not spare them, considering there are infants and school-going children among them as well.
The family which also includes the elderly were evicted from the farm which belongs to Namibia’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Peingondjabi Shipoh.
Farm Berg Aukas changed owners over the years, with Shipoh acquiring it in 2011.
Since acquiring the farm five years ago, Shipoh is said to have been requesting the families to vacate his property, but that did not yield any positive response. He thus approached the court for a formal eviction order which led to their removal. Although the group claims to have lived at the farm since 1988 this could not save them from eviction.
“We are really in a bad state as we speak to you now; we really don’t know what to do anymore and how we will survive this winter.
We live in the open next to the road, and it seems no one is willing to help us. We are just surviving by the grace of God, therefore are asking the government to please assist us,” appealed one member of the group Julietha Shimbojo.