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Home / Shack fires burning Tobias Hainyeko to destitution
Shack fires burning Tobias Hainyeko to destitution
2018-07-11Staff Report 2 Loide Jason WINDHOEK - The councillor for Tobias Hainyeko Constituency in the Khomas Region is concerned about the persistent cases of shack fires in the informal area saying this year, there was insufficient assistance for victims of shack infernos. Christopher Likuwa said this year, his office was only able to assist with five corrugated iron sheets, two mattresses and five poles and no blankets despite the cold in the capital city. He said the number of shacks that caught fire in his constituency this winter alone stands at 12, compared to last year when there were 10 cases. “I feel pity for our people seriously. Our office has not received a single blanket this year to assist our people who are victims of shack fires during winter. And the poles as well as zinc sheets we have received are very few, therefore we are only able to assist with five zinc sheets and three poles which are not even enough,” he said. Likuwa made the remarks upon inquiry at his office on Saturday. The politician said the main cause of shack fires are candles and that the informal area has no electricity and residents usually experience shack fires after they have consumed alcohol only to be awoken when their shacks are on fire. “These fires are seriously putting people on the cold. And it seems that our people are still not careful, therefore all I can say is that our people must be extra careful with candles because there is no sufficient assistance for them,” said Likuwa. The councillor said that so far, there were no cases of human lives lost in the infernos but still people must be careful as it is not easy to rebuild. “I know this is the result that there is no electricity in those areas but we must know that we are pushing for development so that everybody will have development,” he said. The latest shack fire incident was when a woman who believed to be jealous after she suspected her boyfriend of cheating, set the shack alight. Likuwa said this happened at One Nation settlement near Ombili, in Katutura. 2018-07-11Staff Report 2
