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‘Struggle kids’ resurface, disrupting traffic

2018-01-19  Staff Report 2

‘Struggle kids’ resurface, disrupting traffic
Selma Ikela Windhoek-The group commonly known as ‘children of the liberation struggle’ or ‘struggle kids’, who are camping at Brakwater, north of Windhoek, say they intentionally blocked the B1 road yesterday morning to disrupt traffic because it seems the government has forgotten about their plight. The group stood in what appeared like a straight line for about 30 minutes, barring vehicles from moving freely on the road between 07h00 and 08h00. Group leader Jerry Hamukwaya said they blocked the road purposely so that motorists can complain to the government. After the deliberate traffic disruption the group dispersed by themselves after their brief demonstration and went about their daily chores such as cooking, cleaning and fetching water at the Ndilimani camp where they are staying. “We were officially opening our strike for 2018,” remarked Hamukwaya while playing ring toss with other group members under a tree after returning to their camp yesterday morning. Hamukwaya said this is the beginning of a series of “strikes” they will stage at anytime and any day this year. Hamukwaya said the government only remembers them when they stage a demonstration or block roads. “There is no communication between the Prime Minister’s Office and us. That only happens when we attempt to march to their offices and the police facilitate the communication between us and those we want to be in touch with,” he said. The group leader also complained about the government selecting very few people from the camp to go for training at Berg Aukas youth skills training centre. He said that from their group of over 300 people only 24 were selected to go for training in the coming months. Hamukwaya wishes the government could increase the number of recruits from among their members. Hamukwaya said if they are not recruited or the government does not respond to their plight, they will remain put. He said the situation is so dire around the camp that only a few fellow ‘struggle kids’ with parents are surviving. “A few go out to beg for money at the traffic lights as the situation has gotten tough these days.” The group started camping in Windhoek in 2015.
2018-01-19  Staff Report 2

Tags: Khomas
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