Let us redefine 'disadvantaged'

ROOI OLIFANT WRITES:I was shocked to learn in Republikein of Tuesday 25 August 2020 in the article "Covid-19 doesn’t brake vendors’ business" that street vendors who sell fruits and vegetables make N$3 000 on a good day, which is about N$30,000 per month on average per vendor. Certainly, this is an extremely high income on which they do not even pay taxes?In the light of the above and for other reasons mentioned in this letter, there exists an urgent need to redefine what is meant by being disadvantaged in Namibia. Being disadvantaged seems vague and endless because some remain so forever. It is being used as a means to exploit the system in order to unfairly, disproportionately and indefinitely keep on gaining and even becoming rich from it.Many who have property, good jobs, small business ventures and ample savings, remain being regarded as disadvantaged just because they choose to live in shacks in other towns while they live large in their home villages and wear rags to portray false impressions of hardship, the discriminated argue. It appears that being previously disadvantaged, being black in general and being of the dominant race in particular, automatically warrant being regarded as currently disadvantaged and so this corrupt machine and gravy train of greed and selfishness rolls on. This bottomless hunger for wealth, power, control, fame, glory and status due to mammonic love for money simply never ceases.The deceitful impression is created that only the black bantoid segment of society is previously disadvantaged – it is thus racially determined. The false implication and impression that flows from that, is that the dominant race has been materially wronged the most, yet whom everyone knows as history dictates, never lost property. The system is geared such that they are regarded previously disadvantaged indeterminately while they have already bypassed white Afrikaners in financial status as a result of systematic, goal-directed and consistent empowerment initiatives in primarily their favour.Just because people live in brick homes does not mean that all is well with them.In the face of the widespread negative impact of Covid-19 and the already worsening economic situation, virtually all suffer in these troubled times. Locals in many Namibian communities hardly get houses, erven, work, farms, business and study and other opportunities in especially the non-O-regions. Yet those from these already enriched regions get these opportunities in both their hometowns and elsewhere, some of whom access these windows of opportunity in more than two regions, urban and regional settlements and constituencies.I ask two questions:How on earth is it possible that a person is born and bred in a given town and their family lives there for generations, yet they never own a living space in their birth town and only gets a little patch of land called their grave which they must share with others anyway when they die, but strangers from afar get an erf in the shortest possible time? How can an elderly person never own a house but a youngster is given preference? Where is the logic and fairness in this absurdity?In addition, it is by far mostly Swapo members with connections in the right places that keep on milking this proverbial cash cow and benefit from the fat of the land whilst all Namibians contribute to state revenue directly and indirectly. Is it only those of one race, of a certain part of the country and of one political party that experience hardship and struggles?NEWLY DISADVANTAGEDWhat about the age-old disenfranchised and impoverished aboriginal Khoesan of Namibia who largely remain disadvantaged; and poor whites and other previously and currently disadvantaged black minority communities?What about the newly disadvantaged such as the youth and the homeless?Where can these orphaned communities turn to for humane humanitarian help if government and Swapo keep on turning a cold shoulder on them?If one looks closer, you might find that the so-called disadvantaged are already sufficiently financially empowered and secure, such as having a job, a small business, a house, a farm, livestock, investments, other property such as flats, and an impressive bank balance. Still they continue to increasingly benefit from social, Harambee, veterans’ and Covid-19 grants and other forms of aid such as bursaries, loans, tenders, public-private agreements, contracts, sponsorships, donations, permits and licenses of whatever nature; quotas, ransoms, aid, projects, development programs and many others. They play their cards very well by abusing political and economic history and giving the false impression of continuing poverty and hardship to manipulate the system over and over in order to continue to benefit in a skewed manner while communities who are wallowing in abject and crippling poverty, are excluded time and again.There are those that steal hard and many that receive hard. They give the false impression that they work hard for what they have, yet have a feast table prepared for them.The currently wronged are audaciously, judgmentally and arrogantly sneered at as lazy and a burden to the state and society. In the end they do not even have creditworthiness that would enable them to access opportunities for self-development on the road to economic emancipation. Where is the justice in that?REJECTEDThis repeated skewed enrichment of the same communities through poverty eradication initiatives in their favour to the detriment of neglected ones, led to widespread endemic feelings of rejection, isolation, helplessness, powerlessness and meaninglessness that gave rise to mass depression, apathy, resentment, tension, anger and worry.Neglected communities increasingly feel exploited and abused because only their votes and business support for the already benefiting majority and elite are enough. They themselves, their children, their wellness and future, do not seem to matter to government, politicians, leaders, policy-makers, decision makers, benefactors, beneficiaries and protégés who keep on making empty staccato promises from their political podiums during elections.It is a perfect recipe for imminent national socio-economic disaster and widespread conflict which could have been averted by means of honouring the Biblical call for love, compassion, kindness, humility, patience and servanthood, and the universal constitutional values of freedom, patriotism, solidarity, equality, dignity and justice for all Namibians.Do we forget the old adage that states that a hungry man is an angry man?The pertinent looming question all must ask is who the real needy communities are.Where does the problem of never-ending perceived poverty lie?Has government failed to teach their open-beaked ignorant followers and supporters to become self-sufficient fishers rather than constantly being (literally) supplied with fish all the time in order to keep them happy, silent, dependent, pliable and voting?Have we failed to teach ourselves to embrace Biblical values?Without being disrespectful, our geriatric and old youth leaders with their unyielding veteran spirit refuse to relinquish power and control. How long and how far must the youth allow this stronghold to keep on disempowering and impoverishing the already crippled masses?GET THE FACTSWhat must urgently be prioritized by governmental decision makers through policymaking and an act of law, is to carry out a national household asset and skills audit and design a central computerized database for that purpose in order to store and verify the financial status, levels and forms of empowerment, and economic activities of Namibian households, businesses across all sectors, applicants and candidates for whatever economic, social support, appointment and aid.Each and every Namibian, household and business must be expected by law to declare their assets, skills, activities and financial status for more streamlined and fairer dispersal of national resources and more equitable access to opportunities for advancement across the board.The policies governing black economic empowerment, employment equity, veterans’ benefits and affirmative action all need to be revisited in order to include all Namibians.Employment inspectors must physically visit each and every employer across all sectors of the economy and councillors of local and traditional authorities in their constituencies must do the same in order to document what is going on in Namibian communities as far as access, equality, level of wealth and fairness are concerned with the main aim of addressing pitfalls and loopholes proactively.The recently proposed national reconciliation policy in parliament should be sped up which can go a long way in helping Namibians to come to terms with the hurt and wrongs of the past. It should be backed up by a national conference on peace and reconciliation; another on violence; still another on corruption, and the long-awaited truth and reconciliation commission that would grant all Namibians the Godly opportunity to vent their deep sadness, sorrows, fears, anger, bitterness, anxiety and worries in a healthy manner on a common legal platform in order to find lasting holistic hope and healing towards unity, nation-building, national pride and a brighter future for all Namibians.The blood, tears and sweat spilled, necessitate this.Greater concerted efforts should be undertaken by government to implement a universal Basic Income Grant as well as targeted restoration and compensation of the indigenous Khoesan.All Namibians must have a reason to live meaningfully. There is also a great need to coordinate donations, aid, grants, loans, bursaries and other forms of help centrally so as to keep track of who gets what when under which conditions. I propose the ministry of poverty eradication does this and coordinate beneficiation with all ministries, agencies, institutions, organizations and businesses across the board. This way fairness will increase.FACE THE FACTSOur rulers must keep in mind that the ordinary citizenry and electorate are wiser by now. We are aware of their frantic opportunistic scurrying to try to impress us with cheap housing projects, certificates such as at Mix, the land question and other lame and hurried tactics in the race for the upcoming regional and local authorities’ elections. We fully know that little has been done during the past thirty years to benefit those who are the real and actual needy and disadvantaged.What have constituency councillors been doing the past five years for their communities? We are no more fooled. Tactics of fear have no more impact too.We may seem silent, but our combined vote at the polls and the little dignity we have left, will bear power and shift this game forever if things do not change fast for the better and the good of all of us.Our eyes and ears are wide open and we can think for ourselves.

Let us redefine 'disadvantaged'

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Republikein 2025-09-19

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Let us redefine 'disadvantaged'

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Republikein 2025-09-19

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