… NBC scolded over no-show
KEETMANSHOOP – Hundreds of young, old and disabled residents of the Keetmanshoop Urban Constituency (KUC) flocked to the B.K. Rover Community Hall in Tseiblagte yesterday to collect donated blankets and winter clothing offered by the constituency office.
The Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs, Hilma Nicanor, said they have been on an ongoing campaign on behalf of the people to reach out to private businesses and corporate institutions to request donations in order to provide basic items such as blankets and clothing to those in dire need, particularly to those who have virtually no earthly possessions. “It is very gratifying for me to announce here today that after we mobilised such sponsorships and donations we managed to get a positive response from some of the institutions and companies,” Nicanor said. She expressed appreciation to Standard Bank Namibia, especially its representative Shirley Boois for the donation of 200 blankets.
“In the same vein I would also like to thank the management of Bidvest Namibia in their absence for the donation of 72 blankets, not forgetting the Dee Jays Enterprise under the management of David Van Kradenburg for donating 50 blankets,” she said. Nicanor urged beneficiaries not to sell the items at shebeens around town, since it would in future discourage business from giving to those who are in genuine need.
She said her office is aware of the water and sanitary provisions in the IIeni informal settlement and efforts are being made to push the issue to the top of the agenda, however remarking that members of the community should not sit back and wait for government handouts, but make an effort to help themselves. “I would like to ask the business community to emulate the good example set by those who donated to the needy to also look at other areas of assistance such as housing and to help where they can,” she pleaded.
Nicanor expressed disappointment over the absence of reporters of the national broadcaster NBC to cover the event. “This is an issue of national interest, but again and again, NBC is nowhere to be seen,” she said, adding that it was not the first time NBC failed to show up to cover such events in the region, despite the fact that they were invited.
“One wonders what it is this national broadcaster is doing – the next time you will hear they want a government bailout, but today the same government is presenting this important event to the community and they are nowhere to be seen.”
One of the recipients Martin April (66) said the cold days are something of the past now. “We as pensioners have been suffering a lot, at times I felt that there was no one to look after us but at last God sent us someone in the name of Nicanor to rescue us from this cold winter,” the grateful pensioner said. “Now I can sleep without worrying about the cold during the night,” he said.
By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa