Difficult days

CHAOS erupted late yesterday afternoon in Damara Location, Katutura, when the Deputy Messenger of the Court tried to evict Renate !Goes from her house.

The house was sold on public auction because of an outstanding municipal debt owed by the late Johanna !Goes, who died in 1997. Renate !Goes claimed she was unaware of any eviction notice and that the action was totally unexpected.She also felt that she could not be held responsible for her late mother’s debt.The Deputy Messenger of the Court Milton Engelbrecht said he had informed her in person a month ago and had given her three days to vacate the house.An application was filed with the court on July 9 for an eviction notice which was enforced yesterday.He said that she would receive N$21 500, which is the amount due to her after deductions.Once the house was registered in the name of the new owner, she would receive the money.After the goods belonging to the six adults and five children, who lived in the house, were carried into the street the community started to gather.The Special Field Force(SFF), who had been present left when some members of the community kicked open the door, which had been locked by the Deputy Messenger, and started to carry belongings back into the house.The SFF members said they had come to do what they had to and now that the community was carrying the goods back they would return with an arrest warrant.An upset community member said: “They (Municipality) said that they do not take houses away from old people, now they just wait until they die and then take the house away.”Renate !Goes claimed she was unaware of any eviction notice and that the action was totally unexpected.She also felt that she could not be held responsible for her late mother’s debt.The Deputy Messenger of the Court Milton Engelbrecht said he had informed her in person a month ago and had given her three days to vacate the house.An application was filed with the court on July 9 for an eviction notice which was enforced yesterday.He said that she would receive N$21 500, which is the amount due to her after deductions.Once the house was registered in the name of the new owner, she would receive the money.After the goods belonging to the six adults and five children, who lived in the house, were carried into the street the community started to gather.The Special Field Force(SFF), who had been present left when some members of the community kicked open the door, which had been locked by the Deputy Messenger, and started to carry belongings back into the house.The SFF members said they had come to do what they had to and now that the community was carrying the goods back they would return with an arrest warrant.An upset community member said: “They (Municipality) said that they do not take houses away from old people, now they just wait until they die and then take the house away.”