4* TODAV,r,$WAKOP MINE CLOSED • STREET;KIDS SUCCESS·· THE SILLY SEASON IS HERE • Bringing Africa South Vol.2 No.503 R1.00 (GST Inc.) TODAY * SA's sneaky Walvis • Bsymeeting * New programme for AIDS nlOnS revo * Squatters shattered . , * Nam's brain drain * People's poets • * Catch Jackson K's new beat 1 * One man, a bicycle on a our and peace * Readers' Letters * NBC, M-Net 'Key demands, suggestions ignored' schedules Baby found TOMMINNEY NAMmIA'S largesHrade union_grouping, the in a bag NUNW, yesterday laid into the Labour Code, charging that key union demands had been JOSEPH'MOTINGA ignored. Union discontent surfaced Netherlands. A new-born baby wrapped frequently yesterday during a They are coming in solidar­ in a plastic bag was found national tripartite seminar in ity with the National Union of on the premises of the Van Windhoek on the bill attended Namibian Workers, organised Rhijn School in Windhoek . by hundreds of representatives by the Brnssels-based L"ltenm­ West at lOhOOon Wednes­ of unions, employers' organ­ tional Confederation of Free day morning. isations, political parties, Trades Unions, which in De­ ministries and many others. cember asked members to write Sources told The Namib­ The several unionists who to Prime Minister Hage Gein­ ian that the baby was found spoke called for consensus to gob asking for better consulta­ by prisoner working in the a be reached on key points be­ tion with the NUNW on the neighbourhood. fore the bill went further. bill. The baby was allegedly dis­ Trades unionists have repeat­ The tripartite seminar, held covered just outside the school edly said they were unhappy in Windhoek's SKW Hall, is yard and the prisoner noti­ that their comments and ~g­ set to end today. fied the school staff. gestions had been ignored in NUNW general secretary Commissioner Siggi Elm­ the drafting of the current labour Bemard Esau said the union beck of the Namibian Ponce code bill. federation would meet with said that the baby was proba­ A top level delegation of Geingob and with Swapo on bly less than a day old. The trades unionists is set to jet Monday. police were summoned to tbe INDEPENDENCE IS COMING ••• A lone poster remains in place as workers from the into Namibia this weekend from There is also to be a national scene when the baby was municipality remove the roof from one of 48 squatter homes razed in Katutura Finland, Canada, Great Brit­ continued on page 2 yesterday. See story below. Photograph: Kate Burling ain, Norway, Sweden and the continued on page 2 Squatter homes destroyed La~ ignored? WIllLE the municipal­ ity was keen to quote article four of the law on Vow to sleep in open until solution found squatting in defence of their actions yesterday, COUNTLESS people received was a vague: "Back it was interesting to note KATE BURLlNG to where you came from". found themselves 'home­ that article eigh t of the Kruger said it was not the less' once again yesterday, same law (proclamation * 'We're cleaning up. when the municipality offered them some kind of al­ more time, " said one. "Then municipality's responsibility to · ternative. we could have arranged to take AG 2S of1985) was being That's all ••. then the moved in to destroy 48 find alternative accommoda­ But yesterday morning, the our things somewhere else. ' , tion for those being evicted. quietly ignored. people wi~ just disap­ squatter homes built on pear.' - Municipal of­ squatters still seemed dazed Instead, the squatters had to "We're cleaning up, that's all," The article provides for the land opposite Midnight that th: eviction was going ahead watch their belongings being . ficial he said. "Then the people will the AG (now, presuma­ Express night club in after so little notice. Some bundled up, numbered and just disappear." bly, replaced on this is­ Katutura. argued with municipal work­ loaded onto municipality trucks, The land was being leased sue by the Ministry of L0- * 'Where must I go Between 08hOO and men as their belongings were to be taken to an official store­ from the municipality by the now ... back -to ' An­ cal Government and lunchtime, police IQoke<! on ~ carried away, some took issue room. According to munici­ First National Development Housing) to instruct the gola?' - for-mer Plan workmen from the municipal­ the police, but-mainly people pality-PRO Nelius-Kruger, the Corporation;-he explained But fighter ity broke down structure after moved quietly amoog th: chaos, squatters would be able to collect the FNDC had proved unable municipality to provide structure. There was no physi­ trying to pile their things to­ their belongings at some fu­ to keep,the area clean. "There­ emergency housing in the * 'It was just like look­ cal resistance from a commu­ gether where th:y could be seen. ture date - till then they would fore, as owners of the land, we event of a housing crisis. ing at a scene from the nity which has established it­ Most residents learned of the remain in the municipality's are obliged to look after it. ' , With hundreds more now Old Location •.• There self on the land over the last court order to evict them yes­ keep. He said the municipality had added to the list of those couple of years. terday when representatives of Kruger, who turned up at the been told by Local Govern­ waiting for homes in Katu­ were no guns, but those By late yesterday afternoon, the municipality and the po­ site to oversee operations, was ment and Housing Minister Dr tura and a further 26 evic­ same yellow lonies and following a heavy downpour lice arrived to announce the soon besieged by sad and an­ Libertine Amathila to clamp the same hopelessness tions planned in the near of rain, the squatters were 08hOO deadline. Nevertheless, gry residents. down on squatting and to send future, perhaps that sec­ in people's eyes.' - vowing to continue sleeping at few had expected the munici­ The question was always the the people back to where they tion of the law may be Katutura resident the site of their demolished pality to move so swiftly. same: "Where must we go homes until the Government "They should have given us now?" But the only reply they continued on page 3 brought into play. 2 Friday February 14 1992 • • #' , , ,~ ~, •• • s ... ' Wider AIDS plan needed months, the National AIDS STAFF REPORTER Control Programme (NACP) is preparing for a considerable THE programme to control the killer disease AIDS is expansion of its programme .! set to move into most Namibian towns and other centres by presenting a five-year plan after a two-day meeting this week. to donors at a meeting on Feb­ ruary 24. As the number of cases of that leads to AIDS continues . people with the HIV infection to double at most every six The numbers of people re­ ported to be infected with HIV continues to climb fast, with some 1 125 cases reported between Janaury and Novem­ ber last year, another 3 000 expected this year and possi­ bly as many as 10 000 next yearifpresent trends continue. However, these are based only on people who go for testing, blood donors and those tested for insurance companies. The HUGE CAR AUCTION actual numDer of infected WED 19 FEBRUARY 17HOOHRS Nanuoians could be far higher. By the end of this month a +/- 80 will be sold wider screening programme, Most cars without reserve! covering pregnant women and Bankrepossessions - Company Vehicles - people with various diseases is set to give a better idea of the . Private entries - Bakkies - Sedans - extent of HIV infection in Motor Cycles. Namibia. So far only some 65 Private entries will be accepted untill Tuesday 18 people have died from AIDS, _ February 18hOO hrs. according to official figures. Yesterday saw the start of a PSE. NOTE: Prospective buyers will have to two-day meeting with the 36 pay R500.00 with registration regional representatives and (Refundable if no purchases are local cb.aiJ:persons of 1he NACP, made) including church people, health TERMS; Cash or Bank guaranteed workers and others, in Reho­ both. This is to discuss decen­ cheques 'Only (or Independence tralising the AIDS awareness avenue + Grimm Street. and ' counselling programme, For further information phone the according to Abner Xoagub, Auctioneers. WHK 061 - 31421 social mobiliser with the NACP. LABOUR LAUNCH ••• Opening the seminar yesterday was Labour and Manpower Health and Social Services Development Minister the Rev Hendrik Witbooi, watched by permanent secretary Minister Or Nicky Iyambo was Tuli Hiveluab and director oflabour Johann van Rooyen. Photographs: Tom MinDey setto meet donors' representa­ tives yesterday as part of a up by the ministry and the ample of the Ministry of Fi­ preparation meeting for an .purpose of the seminar was nance which recently drew up international donors' confer­ simply to infonn people about general sales tax laws. ence on February 24. This the contents of the latest draft The seminar was opened by shouid mark a considerable executive committee meeting bill. WitbQoi who said the bill was - expansion of AIDS awareness the following weekend when He further accused the panel aimed at not making the Gov­ and other work in Namibia over the members would say what of experts explaining the bills ernment intervene when there a five-year programme, com­ action they want. of "acting on behalf of em­ was good collective bargain­ pared to the short-term work Key union demands which ployers". ing in place. Structures to be that has been carried out since ' Esau says have been submitted Other participants at the set up, such as the 1abour courts, the NACP began in April 1990.