Knives drawn at Heichas

DISGRUNTLED NATIVE WRITES:

We all thought that the notorious Heichas winds have settled, but is has returned in the form of a brawl about a week ago.

We should juxtapose and see things in correct perspective for the sake of progress. The whole Vaalgras was shocked with disbelief when we heard about the manhandling at Vredefontein, the deposed chief's native village. One could construe that the judgement of the Haichas case in the Köes lower court was still fresh in the minds and hearts of the deposed leadership, all this as a direct result of vengeance.

The deposed leadership couldn't accept the verdict, which appeared as if the invaders were the new bosses down there. In my personal view that fight was unwarranted, it was a slap in the face of Vaalgras, it's reputation, history and dignity. The farmers who resettled themselves there forcefully following the severe drought were just trying to bring improvements to the existing infrastructure for the benefit of all of them.

Some elders described the incident as something which is even not worth talking about. They see it as a scandal of the highest degree and the question begs, what is the future of such a senior councillor who draws a knife against an ordinary member of the community? We are sitting with more questions than answers and don't know what to do in such a scenario. How safe are we in the hands of the deposed leadership?

I put the blame squarely on the doorstep of the Government, who has been sitting on this time bomb deliberately for about eight years and eight months. Is this not going to serve as a wake-up call for them to take immediate remedial corrective steps?

It seems as if the police are biased in this specific matter after a charge has been laid with them, but they are just threatening the invaders with eviction orders and arrest etc. They are sort of indirectly forcing them to leave the farm, if they don't want stock losses.

To my astonishment, I have not heard a single word from the side of the deposed chief, meaning that this thing is also going to be swept under the carpet.

This is mind-boggling and needs the intervention of senior police officers in the ||Kharas region should justice prevail. I am just afraid for the same sort of unnecessary fights at that farm and/or about relating issues. This is ugly and uncalled for.

I want to state one thing peremptory that the deposed Vaalgras Traditional Authority leadership has lost the first part of the court battle, whilst it is the responsibility of the Keetmanshoop magistrate court to provide the remaining invaders with a trial date after they have filed their intentions to defend themselves in court.

This simply means the pending case must first be finalised before a next round of action could be considered. Threatening farmers with eviction will have to wait. However, if the Government doesn't act swiftly they should take full responsibility for what might transpire in the future.

The law and any disciplinary process provides for the removal of a "biased official" in the best interest of a fair trial as guaranteed in the Namibian Constitution as well as administrative and social justice in terms of Article 18 of the Constitution.