By Charles Tjatindi
WALVISBAY
The Erongo Police have warned residents and visitors at the coast not to touch or tamper with any suspicious looking objects, but rather report such findings to the nearest police station.
The police’s warning comes in light of a recent discovery of unexploded ordnances near Walvis Bay’s Dune 7 recreational area.
The discovery was made by the leader of a group of tourists who were quad-biking in the area.
A report of the police said the ordnances were found to be 20mm high explosives ammunition. The ordnances were destroyed by the police on Wednesday.
The police reported that the site where the unexploded devices were found was previously used as a target range by the South African Defence Force (SADF).
This was confirmed by Erongo Police public relations officer, Detective Sergeant Julia Nujoma, who warned members of the public to be on the lookout for such devices.
“We still have a few unexploded ordnances, so it is very important not to tamper with any strange-looking object you find. It is better to report such a thing to the police for further investigation,” she said.
The Swartkoppies area near the former SADF Rooikop Military Base is reported to have been a SADF shooting range.
According to the police, most unexploded ordnances can still be found in this area.
The police warned that although many unexploded ordnances have over the years rusted and sometimes show signs of superficial damage, such objects are still dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.
“It does not matter how the object looks like, if it is strange to you, do not touch it. It is better to rush to the nearest police station or military base and report it there,” added Nujoma.