Broken and in misery

In the heart of the Havana informal settlement of Katutura - deep within the endless rows of corrugated iron shacks - a man with a shattered leg lies next to the tree he calls home. Elias Rooinasie rests on a faded mattress and dirty worn-out blanket, which apart from the clothes on his back are the only things he possesses. Rooinasie is a former South-West African Territorial Force (SWATF) soldier. He does not know his age or the whereabouts of his family. He served in the SWATF between 1984 and 1990, and was stationed at a few army bases, including Ruacana. After independence he had nowhere to go and roamed the streets of Windhoek, sleeping where he could. He couldn’t find work and his life became characterised by alcohol abuse and eating from rubbish bins. A 49-year-old businessman Phillipus Uyepa took pity on Rooinasie and has been assisting him with a place to sleep and food. Uyepa says he felt sorry for the man he found roaming the streets and decided to take him in. He discovered Rooinasie had a broken leg that was seeping puss, following an accident in 2004. The leg is now stabilised by clamps, but Uyepa is afraid it may have become sceptic and could turn cancerous. According to Uyepa, Rooinasie has two children - one working as a security guard and another as a police officer. He has no contact with them. However, when asked if he has family, Rooinasie said his parents and children are all dead. Namibia War Veterans Trust (Namvet) chairperson Jabulani Ndeunyema, who has also been assisting Rooinasie with basic items such as food, says it is unfair that any Namibian should be allowed to live in such an inhumane way. He says a person like Rooinasie is a war veteran and needs assistance from government. Recognition Ndeunyema says the issue of former SWATF members and their pleas to government to give them war veteran recognition comes a long way. He added it was high time government finds an amicable solution regarding issues of former soldiers who are suffering. “The living conditions of Rooinasie are very sad. I want to ask: Who is currently receiving the share of the Namibian cake? God created this country with so many natural resources for all of us to be benefiting. Those are our resources and we have been sending warnings to government and that they should stop their greed of selfishly eating our God-given gifts alone,” Ndeunyema said. “They have told us before to go back to the bush and fight if we want to benefit from our country’s resources. The greedy must take note that we are prepared to mix the food they eat with sand. We cannot allow a few to enjoy peace and the resources of this country with their families alone, while the majority like Rooinasie are suffering.” KAKUNAWE SHINANA