KATIMA MULILO – Fretful residents marched to the Katima Mulilo Town Council on Wednesday to hand over a petition to mayor Lister Shamalaza, demanding the cessation of RedForce services.
A similar petition was handed over to Zambezi regional governor Lawrence Sampofu.
In the petition read by Elijah Muyoyeta, the disgruntled residents demanded that the town council part ways with RedForce Debt Management, saying this debt-collection firm is not solution-oriented and just milking them as well as dragging them further into the mud.
The company was appointed by the town council last year to assist in collecting over N$148 million it was owed by the residents at the time. However, the already debt-ridden residents say the firm demands enormous amounts from them.
“We mightily demand the closure of the RedForce office in our town within seven working days. Furthermore, we would like to promise you that if our demands are ignored, there will be no voting in our region until we are regarded as Namibians who have rights,” reads the petition.
Other residents in the streets of this north-eastern town interviewed by this reporter stated that they want to be treated fairly and with dignity, and that council should concentrate on service delivery rather than oppressing them through debt-collection.
“I am a pensioner who only relies on the N$1 400 grant. How am I going to manage to pay off the N$14 000 RedForce is demanding? Why does council not consider writing off the debts of pensioners? How can they treat us the same with people who are getting a monthly salary? RedForce has no respect for the elders; they should go back,” charged 64 -year-old Agnes Maswahu, who lives in the Cowboy location.
Another pensioner, 69-year-old Patricia Muzimba, added that she needs a place to call her own after her house was destroyed during the demolishing of illegal structures at Lwanyanda location. “I am sleeping in a makeshift structure made of plastic papers. I do not have anything. I drink dirty water, where there are frogs and insects,” she added.
“I have school-going children who need to bath, but RedForce cuts off my water. We don’t want RedForce; they should go back where they came from,” added another agitated resident, Chuma Sikanda.
Upon receiving the petition, Shalamaza promised that “council will convene a meeting to discuss your concerns, and all the responses will be communicated to you in due course through your committee”.
Equally, Sampofu undertook to study the petition and engage the town council, and thereafter revert to the residents.
* Aron Mushaukwa is an information officer for the MICT in the Zambezi region.