A Walvis Bay resident and her three children were left homeless and destitute after their shack was burnt to ashes last month. Ndina Shigwedha (23) now moves from house to house in search for overnight accommodation. 

She is urgently seeking help from the community. A suspect was arrested and charged with arson. Alfeus Kapolo, was released on bail and his case postponed to next month. 

It is alleged that Kapolo, who has had differences with his girlfriend, threatened to set the shack on fire and kill her and her children. 

“He warned the woman and her sisters about his plans and they all ignored him. Then in the morning, some friends told her to be on the lookout for Kapolo as he was heading to her place with a bottle of paraffin. When he arrived, I could hear him knocking, then later I heard quarrels and saw the woman rushing out of the shack, leaving Kapolo and three children inside,” she narrated.

 Kapolo apparently sent children to a nearby tuck-shop, then he poured paraffin on the shack and set it ablaze. The fire spread to other four shacks in the yard, including Shigwedha’s and destroyed their belongings. Shigwedha said she lost all her belongings and those of her children in the fire.

 “I have nothing left to my name other than the clothes that I was wearing that day. I am pleading for assistance from the community to help us rebuild our lives. I need food, clothes, blankets, and toiletries,” said Shigwedha.  Shigwedha, who is a street vendor, said she has also lost all her business proceeds and does not have the capital to continue. Her belongings, including the value of the shack, were worth over N$100 000. “I am the only breadwinner in my house and the little I used to get from selling kapana on the street was merely to pay for my children’s school fees and support my family, but now we are stranded,” she said. She hopes that good Samaritans could help her, especially with building materials to rebuild her shack and assistance to restart her business. She said the town’s mayor Trevino Forbes has assisted her with food items. 

- ashikololo@nepc.com.na