OSHAKATI – In a thinly-veiled threat, former SWATF and Koevoet members have vowed to ‘put sand in the meal’ if their demands for compensation and an apology from Swapo are not met by April.
The former pro-colonialism fighters, through their organisation Namibian War Veterans Trust (Namvet), held a press conference on Monday at Ondangwa, where they issued an avalanche of threats.
The former members of South Africa’s apartheid army and police troops demanded that Swapo apologise for accusing them of planting the bomb that killed 27 people on February 19, 1988 in the former Barclays Bank, now First National Bank, in Oshakati.
The group is claiming it is a known fact to both Swapo and Namvet that Leonard Sheehama, who was responsible for the deadly act, was sent by Swapo.
The group also demanded that the government allow an unspecified amount of money allegedly held up in South Africa at the instruction of some Swapo members, to be transferred into Namvet coffers and into members’ personal accounts.
“If our demands are not met, we are going to put sand in the meal, if Swapo does not apologise by April 1 this year, and if we hear they are trying to sabotage the release of our money from South Africa, we are going to spoil it all for Swapo,” said Namvet chairperson Jabulani Frans Ndeunyema.
Namvet threatened to send a message to Founding President Dr Sam Nujoma and to the incumbent Head of State President Hifikepunye Pohamba reading: “What killed Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and Iraqi former president Saddam Hussein is still hungry.”
Ndeunyema who made several threats remarked that he was not ready to die of hunger, but prepared to die of a gunshot. He also urged members of his organisation to ensure they are all in possession of valid Namibian passports because they will all travel “somewhere” if their demands are not met by April 1.
Swapo has dismissed the threats.
“How could we have bombed the bank at 13h00 when we knew our own people were there?” Swapo secretary general Nangolo Mbumba said yesterday.
“They will never wash their hands clean of the blood of Namibians. Swapo owes them nothing, they fought on the wrong side, they fought against their own country, they fought against their own people and shame on them.”
Mbumba challenged Ndeunyema and his organisation to come forward with good evidence of the February 19 1988 bombing, if they have any.
He also denied that Swapo has ever tried to block money meant for Namvet, charging that when there is money coming in the country it goes through the bank, and Swapo has no control over that process.
He challenged Namvet to approach the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and report a case of stolen money.