WINDHOEK – As the hope of reclaiming the family house that was sold dubiously diminishes, 54-year-old Emmanuel Ngunovandu and his family continue to bemoan the uncomfortable circumstances of living in a tent, while also complaining that they have nowhere else to go.
The family has been living in the tent since March. The Katutura Central Constituency Councillor, Ambrosius Kandjii, provided the temporary shelter for the family when they were evicted from the house they have been fighting to get back after being served with several eviction orders during the past three years.
The tent is situated outside house number 4956 in the Single Quarters’ Genesis Street and was meant for temporary use. Ngunovandu and his family say it is not safe they have to live in a tent.
And as the tent speedily becomes worn out they fear they will soon be left without a roof over their heads. Not only that, living in the tent has problems of its own. The the dust, they say, is hazardous particularly for small children who now have to live with relatives while the seemingly hopeless battle to get back the house continues.
Ngunovandu has been fighting to get back his late brother’s house that was sold allegedly under ‘questionable’ circumstances in 2011.
“I am just asking why thieves have to benefit from their evil deeds and still go unpunished?” Ngunovandu asked from his tent recently.
His wife Wilhelmina Ndukireepo listened attentively while also supporting her husband from time to time. Two of their grandchildren who seemed unfazed by their circumstances divided their attention between listening in on the interview between this reporter and their grandparents and playing.
“Have you heard of the Ebola disease? We will be the first to contract it in this country because as you can see this tent is dusty and the people urinate outside the tent. When I think of the way we live I just hold back tears because it is a painful situation,” narrated Wilhelmina.
The owner of the house, late Rudolf Ndukireepo who died last February was allegedly given excessive alcohol to consume and when he was drunk was forced to sign papers that led to he and his family losing their house six months later.
The late Rudolf said on numerous occasions before his death that he was under the impression that he was renting out one room to the culprit for business purposes.
The family say they identified a number of loopholes in the documents the buyer used to purchase the house such as forged signatures. They depend on government lawyers who they say are too slow to take any action.
Furthermore, Ngunovandu says the tent is not in good condition and appealed to the public to assist him with corrugated iron sheets and planks to set up a temporary shelter.
“I hope people will help me while we await the outcome of the court case which we appealed,” Ngunovandu said.
By Alvine Kapitako