Insensitive comments about Noa's death irk preacher
TUYEIMO HAIDULA
OHAKWEENYANGA
Reverend John Haufiku says he was disappointed by the “disturbing” comments which Namibians made on social media when the news broke that Donbaldt Noa, son of Anti-Corruption Commission director-general Paulus Noa, had died in a gyrocopter crash last week.
The accident happened 10 km outside Windhoek last Thursday.
Donbaldt died in the crash and the pilot, Pierre Blaauw, died the next morning in hospital.
Haufiku, speaking at Noa's memorial service on Tuesday, said Namibians are too angry and have no sympathy for others.
“Please avoid thinking that people are being punished when they experience troubles because we are all going to go through it. We will all die. Whether it's by a helicopter crash or not. You will leave this earth dead,” he said.
Haufiku said Namibians think death is reserved for some people and the type of death differs depending on who they are, which is not the case. The pastor also used the platform to speak out against the escalating gender-based violence in the country, which he said was a concern for church leaders. “GBV should stop and let's do better in this country. Men and women, love your spouses and learn how to resolve issues without turning violent. Young people, change your ways and spread love amongst each other,” he stressed.
Parents' voice
Noa attended primary school at Ongwediva. He then proceeded to Deutsche Höhere Privatschule in Windhoek and was in his final year of engineering studies at the Namibian University of Science and Technology. His parents described him as a strong character and a fast thinker. They said when they heard that their son might have been in the helicopter that crashed, they struggled to accept the information. “We tried his phone and it was off. We kept hoping that it was just a low battery and he would come home that night as usual.
“On 18 December it got darker when it was confirmed by the police that he was the passenger in the gyrocopter. Our hearts are heavy but we appreciate the support from people who have come to share in our sorrow,” they said.
Noa was buried at Ohakweenyanga on Wednesday. He is survived by his twin brother Dennis and two sisters.
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OHAKWEENYANGA
Reverend John Haufiku says he was disappointed by the “disturbing” comments which Namibians made on social media when the news broke that Donbaldt Noa, son of Anti-Corruption Commission director-general Paulus Noa, had died in a gyrocopter crash last week.
The accident happened 10 km outside Windhoek last Thursday.
Donbaldt died in the crash and the pilot, Pierre Blaauw, died the next morning in hospital.
Haufiku, speaking at Noa's memorial service on Tuesday, said Namibians are too angry and have no sympathy for others.
“Please avoid thinking that people are being punished when they experience troubles because we are all going to go through it. We will all die. Whether it's by a helicopter crash or not. You will leave this earth dead,” he said.
Haufiku said Namibians think death is reserved for some people and the type of death differs depending on who they are, which is not the case. The pastor also used the platform to speak out against the escalating gender-based violence in the country, which he said was a concern for church leaders. “GBV should stop and let's do better in this country. Men and women, love your spouses and learn how to resolve issues without turning violent. Young people, change your ways and spread love amongst each other,” he stressed.
Parents' voice
Noa attended primary school at Ongwediva. He then proceeded to Deutsche Höhere Privatschule in Windhoek and was in his final year of engineering studies at the Namibian University of Science and Technology. His parents described him as a strong character and a fast thinker. They said when they heard that their son might have been in the helicopter that crashed, they struggled to accept the information. “We tried his phone and it was off. We kept hoping that it was just a low battery and he would come home that night as usual.
“On 18 December it got darker when it was confirmed by the police that he was the passenger in the gyrocopter. Our hearts are heavy but we appreciate the support from people who have come to share in our sorrow,” they said.
Noa was buried at Ohakweenyanga on Wednesday. He is survived by his twin brother Dennis and two sisters.
[email protected]
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