Ovazemba: The ‘forgotten’ community

Today he is old, about to lose his sight, has one broken leg, and can barely walk without the help of crutches.

He lives in an old wooden house situated in the Ouranda area at Opuwo.

Muandjabuatji's living conditions are unbearable.

He is constantly exposed to extreme cold and uses a 20-litre bucket as a toilet in his room.

The bucket is only removed when his firstborn is around to do so, which is not often.

Muandjabuatji's only meals come from his neighbours.

Sometimes he has to beg for it, he says.

All he wants is access to a monthly pension, like other senior citizens, but Muandjabuatji has not been able to obtain citizenship documents for the past 20 years.

He says he has visited the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security's office at Opuwo on several occasions, pleading for help, but is constantly sent from pillar to post.

The only documents he has been able to obtain was a Swapo membership card, and a voters' registration card, he says.

Muandjabuatji says the day he got the voters' registration card, his hope to obtain an ID card was rekindled, but he was disappointed once again.

He says he has never felt so hopeless.

“Every time the elections come, I am told I am Namibian and my vote counts, but when I go to home affairs, I am Angolan, and I must go where I come from.

“But I left Angola a long time ago. I don't even know what it looks like. Namibia is my home,” he says.

Muandjabuatji's circumstances are not unique.

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