Rape of disabled women highlights 'lawless' Rundu slum

Two women living with developmental disabilities in the Tuhingireni informal settlement in Rundu are alleged to have been victims of rape at unspecified times over the past year that resulted in pregnancies.According to members of the community, one of the women (25) is currently pregnant, and the second woman (24) has given birth to twins – with the babies conceived as a result of sexual assault.A community meeting on Saturday highlighted growing frustration over escalating violent crime, inadequate policing and a lack of basic services in the area. A Namibian Sun journalist recently visited the home of one of the women, whose pregnancy came to light after she reportedly told her mother she felt something “moving” in her stomach.According to the family, who are full-time caretakers of the woman, they believe she was raped late last year.Efforts to speak to the family of the second alleged victim, who reportedly gave birth to twins, were unsuccessful as her mother declined the interview, saying she feared her daughter would be mocked and ridiculed if her story was made public.Too scared to report crimes Tuhingireni, home to more than 3 000 households, has become a hotspot for violent crime. Residents cite the lack of electricity and a limited police presence as key contributing factors.Community members said criminals often take advantage of the darkness to break into homes and intimidate residents.Sarafina Shifafure, a community spokesperson, told Namibian Sun over the weekend that many residents, especially women and children, live in constant fear.“There was another scenario where a man was caught in the act, naked, raping a child,” Shifafure recounted during an interview. “The mother came, the guy was beaten, and she took her child away, but I don’t know if it was ever reported. People here are too scared to speak up.”In another incident, Shifafure revealed that a man was allegedly attacked last week by a group of boys during an attempted robbery. When they found he had no valuables, they allegedly forced him to swallow candles. The man survived, but like many other cases, the matter was never reported to the police. Residents say fear of reprisals by violent gangs often prevents victims from coming forward.“This place is lawless,” Shifafure said. “These thieves and gangs have no fear because they know people won’t report them. We know who they are, but they’ve instilled fear in the whole community.”In March, 63-year-old Sofia Kambinda lost her son, Nestor Ndara (43), who was found with a stab wound to the neck near a public toilet in the area. “My son was murdered. This area is not safe. The darkness, the lack of protection – we are on our own,” Kambinda said.Abandoned and afraid These and other incidents were discussed during the community meeting, where residents repeated their calls for electricity, better safety and accountability. “We feel abandoned,” one attendee said.Kavango East regional police commander Andreas Haingura told Namibian Sun last Thursday that police are rolling out community engagement efforts within informal settlements to address these and other challenges. "We started meeting with traditional leaders, churches and development officers in Ndama, Kehemu and Sauyemwa. The goal is to plan meetings in every location,” he said.Haingura said many crimes are committed by youths – some as young as 14 – and that a community meeting is set for 17 May in Ndama as part of broader efforts to restore safety.

Rape of disabled women highlights 'lawless' Rundu slum

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-08

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Rape of disabled women highlights 'lawless' Rundu slum

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-08

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