A fairytale is narrated in which young men in one village got rid of their elders save for one who hid his own. When snake entangles their new chief, it is the hidden old man who dangles a mouse in front of the snake, releasing its grip over the young man.
This might be a fairytale but full of wisdom in terms of respecting the elderly people. It is true the elders in this country are being taken care of by the authorities, but definitely not as it should be.
The standard of living of the elderly leaves much to be desired, as they find it difficult to make ends meet.
One might argue that in the city, everybody should embrace the reality in terms of the living standards. Therefore, one who cannot afford the lifestyle of the city should relocate to the rural areas. But the reality is that Windhoekers have spent a good portion of their lives in the city and
may not know any village life. In some cases, others only know the village because their ancestors immigrated from there during the
past decades and they have been
living in the city for all these years.
They have spent all their useful youth in Windhoek and can no longer go back to the village of their origin and start a new life altogether. In all fairness the fact could be that all the ancestral land could have been grabbed by those who could not make it to the city in one way or another.
In some cases, the ‘mbwitis’ can no longer adapt to village life because the city has been their home. Still, there are those who are caught between the city and village life, and are equally not accustomed to rural life. It is against such background that the elderly find themselves stuck in the city which has been their home for ages. Sadly, some people in the echelons of the city find this situation appalling where the city is forced to nurture the elderly. It is true that caring for senior citizens in Windhoek involves various aspects to ensure their well-being and quality of life. In this regard, there have been some considerations to ease their lives, but some of the measures fell short of the targeted objectives. For example, there has been a clarion call recently for all the elderly to march to the municipality to have their debts erased. The call was genuine and noble, but many elderly people did not find what they expected. As initially heard, it sounded as if all debts would be cancelled if the water and electricity bills for November and December were paid in full. But the senior citizens were subjected to long queues and waited for long hours, sometimes were tossed from one table to another. It was during those sessions in which the elders were only informed that it was only water and electricity bills which could be cancelled, not land and tax rates. It is understandable that Windhoek, being in a semi-arid region, faces challenges related to water scarcity. This can lead to increased pressure on water resources, resulting in higher water bills for residents and businesses. In addition, aging infrastructure can lead to leakages, inefficiencies, and higher costs of operation. The cost of maintaining and upgrading infrastructure can be reflected in water and electricity bills.
But these facts should be
overcome because the amount of money collected from the residents is enormous. This can be demonstrated in the lifestyles of the office
incumbents of the city governance. One does not advocate a free-meal syndrome in the city, but both the city and the country can accommodate and adequately feed the city residents and all people in the land of plenty. There are few blind Namibians who cannot see the reality of the situation in which money is being embezzled in broad day light. There is a Sifwe saying, “kuwirla mwirlambvo kobvirle kamwi njoo!” It means falling into the same pit in broad day light and surely no one is prepared to do that. The city and the government could come up with measures and means of bailing out the residents. The city is small with an affordable population with all the resources in the country. In addition, there are millions being siphoned and taken outside the country by individuals through corrupt schemes. If such money could be ploughed back into the country to give the elderly subsidies, it could be of great importance. It should be recorded that the elderly people built the city and the country. It was the elderly who initiated the struggle to liberate the country from colonial, racist and oppressive regimes of Germany and South Africa. It is only befitting that they get a fair share of the national cake. The current allowance being given to the elders is not enough to sustain them in a city where almost everything is too expensive. The subsidy on water and electricity is too insignificant to notice and therefore does not make any difference in terms of the bills. Some seniors may require financial assistance to afford healthcare, housing, or other necessities. Government programmes, non-profit organisations, and community initiatives can provide support in this regard.
Overall, ensuring the well-being of senior citizens in Windhoek involves a comprehensive approach encompassing healthcare, social support, housing, and community engagement. Collaboration between government agencies, non-profit organisations, healthcare providers, and community members is essential to address the diverse needs of the elderly population.
*Professor Makala Lilemba is an academician, author, diplomat, motivational leader, researcher and scholar.