The Need For Fairness And Compassion

IMAGINE the fuss that would ensue if the City Police booted the Geingobs and the Gurirabs from their homes for non-payment of municipal dues? Hypothetical of course, since some of the big names with huge outstanding accounts with the Municipality are paying back these debts, but seen against the background of the recent evictions in Otjomuise informal settlement in Katutura, why shouldn’t we be entitled to call for a more fair and just society? In short, to have some heart.

Only this week city police moved in to tear down shacks, leaving people homeless and destitute in the worst of the winter chill. This, against a background of rampant theft and looting of state resources by those connected to power and where many are seemingly given immunity when these things happen under their watch.It simply doesn’t add up.We are not here arguing for dependency, for we believe this is something that should not be encouraged in our country, but we are advocating for more control and discipline of our resources, which could instead be utilised to the benefit of the poor and needy rather than continue to fill the bottomless pockets of the elite and those connected to them.We have said before, and we emphasise once again, that the measure of a Government is the way in which they treat their disadvantaged citizens. In this context too, we do not subscribe to the argument that all Namibians of colour are disadvantaged, even including the ruling and business elite. It is clear who the disadvantaged people of Namibia are – those without employment, housing, access to basic needs and services and even food.There are many people in Namibia who have millions in their bank accounts, monies not earned through hard work or entrepreneurial skills, but through dodgy scams, commissions on deals, socalled facilitation fees, even outright corruption, theft and fraud. All of which seems to continue without impunity, while the impoverished and needy, who are trying to eke out a living, asking only a makeshift roof over their heads, are hounded and literally put out in the cold.This does not speak of a compassionate society; of a people who are concerned with the have-nots of our society. And against the background of incredible greed and materialism, there are few who would not see something wrong with this picture.We have to, for once and for all, make the connection between corruption and poverty. If people stole and/or wasted less, there would be more money available to build housing for the poor, give them access to water and essential services, increase the old age pension from the paltry amount allocated at present; in short, to take care of our poor and truly disadvantaged, and find ways and means that they can make a living.It is the dependency of the elite on a lavish lifestyle that is causing us to neglect the poor, and this dependency is the worst of all.Our people are not stupid even if many are illiterate. They see the wealth that cocoons some, the fleets of luxury cars, the multi-million purchases, and which must surely prompt some of the less patient into criminal action in turn as they attempt to take something for themselves, while others suffer in silence, honestly, trying to eke out a living in whatever way they can. For they are the underdogs, the neglected and deprived people who deserve, if nothing else, our compassion, and fairness when it comes to having a roof over their heads and water to drink.Government is shortsighted if it pretends to wage war on corruption, while the deals and the commissions and the facilitation fees continue to put money in the pockets of those who’ve done nothing to earn such monies but who have simply become rich because they had the right connections. It is necessary that Cabinet stop the bloodletting in this regard, so that money can become available for projects for large proportion of our people living in dire circumstances.We would therefore exhort the Government, the Anti-Corruption Commission and others to make this a priority.What is happening at present is morally wrong.