Homeless fire victims want audience with Geingob

Homeless fire victims want audience with Geingob The victims of a shack fire in Walvis Bay want to see President Hage Geingob urgently.

“He is the only one who can help us. We have been suffering with fires for years without any help,” said 49-year-old mother of one, Renathe Boois.

Boois lost her shack and all belongings in a fire that left more than 40 people homeless in Walvis Bay''s Tutaleni informal settlement on Thursday.

Speaking to Nampa, victims of the fire said they want Geingob to visit them.

Fadia Khuruses, 26, said someone stole her clothes and shoes she managed to grab from her burning shack.

“I have two children who are now homeless,” said the pregnant Khuruses.

Katrina Mahoka said the fact that their informal structures are positioned so close to each other means fire spreads easily, hence people need proper brick houses.

Mahoka said she has been on the National Housing Enterprises (NHE) waiting list for a house since 2010.

“We need a tent please, we have nowhere to sleep,” Likius Salmon said.

Surrounded by her three children, Albertina Antonius said she only managed to salvage one bed from her shack where 13 adults and nine children lived.

Samaritans donated blankets and clothes to some of the victims.

The fire also destroyed two cars and two electricity boxes.

Statistics from fire chief Dennis Basson''s office indicate that 35 shacks have been destroyed in fires in Walvis Bay this year.

Basson said it is not clear what caused the most recent fire because the people who live there could not provide him with the relevant information.

He, however, suspects arson.

Walvis Bay rural constituency councillor John Nangolo told this news agency Friday he is aware of these problems.

Nangolo said arrangements are in place to solicit clothes, food and perhaps building materials to re-construct the shacks.

“They will get some donations next week; we collected some items from a local organisations and business owners.” The council will also look for tents to accommodate the victims until their shacks are rebuilt.



NAMPA