2018-02-20Staff Report 2 Clemans Miyanicwe Windhoek-Khorixas Police Chief Inspector Hiskia Nuuyoma is unaware of a piece of land that was donated to the local police for the setting up of a substation in Donkerhoek informal settlement. “We have been fighting for (erf) all these years to no avail. Just heard the council discussed and apparently agreed to give us land but we have not been alerted yet,” Nuuyoma said. Ralla //Gowaseb, acting chief executive officer of Khorixas town council, told New Era last Friday that a 1 000 square metre erf worth N$300 000 was donated to the local police for the construction of a substation at Donkerhoek informal settlement. “We gave it for free, as part of our social responsibility, as we also want to reduce crime,” //Gowaseb added. However, a shack constructed by a local church occupies the said erf. The acting chief executive officer said the reason the substation was not set up until now was maybe due to budget cuts to the Ministry of Safety and Security. Nuuyoma questioned how an unserviced erf could be used to set up a structure. “We cannot erect a tent on a place where there is no water or electricity. How can you even set up a toilet at such a place,” said Nuuyoma. Manpower shortage is also an issue of concern for the Khorixas police chief once a substation is set up, as the main police station already lacks manpower. “On a shift, there have to be four members but now at times there are two or three members during the shift so even if the land is given for Donkerhoek substation, manpower is lacking,” Nuuyoma said. Nuuyoma said, “There is lack of manpower here (Khorixas police station), so how can we manage another one.” The freezing of police recruitment has seriously affected Khorixas police operations. The police officers at the station number around 60. Residents of the informal settlement have for years asked for a substation in the area, as the main station is far away from them and police take long to attend to reports. In an unrelated development, electricity was restored at Khorixas police station at the beginning of this month after it was cut off last November over a debt of about N$11 000. Police officers had to resort to cellphone torches, lamps, and candles, a situation that was untenable, as residents would shun seeking assistance at the Khorixas police station. The police also had to bring tinned food, since there were no means to store meat in fridges due to the power cut. 2018-02-20Staff Report 2
