Please wait for the next shift

WILLIE VAN ZYL WRITES:

Whom it may concern.

17 August 2020

To the office of the Ombudsman.

I would like to express my utmost disappointment and displeasure, thereby addressing this letter to your office, with the hope and confidence that your office will give urgent attention and take the necessary actions.

I, personally, regard this incident as lack of loyalty, extremely bad manners and a bad attitude by the Namibia Police toward the residents of Namibia.

I have never experienced anything like this in my life. It is an extreme slap in the face to a 65 years old man, who have lived and work in this country all his life and pay his taxes every month since 1975. I feel it is my right and privilege to report the incident to your office and I trust that the complaint will not fall on deaf ears.

I, just want to make it very-very clear, that I do not expect special treatment because 1) I am 65 years old, and 2) because I am white. Everyone should enjoy the same treatment. (I grew up having to shave all over the same comb.)

Allow me to describe this incident in detail:

On Tuesday 11 August 2020, around 13H40 the following incident took place at Ondangwa Police Station.

I entered the front door of the Police Station and I saw a female Police Officer on my left at her desk, busy with a person. I waited my turn so that the person could be helped by the officer.

After the person was helped, and left the counter, I stepped forward, greeted with the following words: "Good afternoon Mam." Her greeting was of such a nature that I got the impression that she was carrying some heavy burdens on her shoulders, or she was not really eager to work, that she was there to fill the numbers of Police Officers and nothing more.

I briefly explained my problem to her.

1) That I was robbed of my cellphone in a local Supermarket the day before (I do not to name the supermarket, and that evidence are all on CCTV).

2) That on the same day my apartment was broken into, and that my TV and all my electric tools was stolen.

Now the cherry on the cake:

The Officer informed me that she was leaving duty at 14H00, that the statement would take a long time and that I had to wait until the new shift arrived, after which she got up and stood behind her desk. I in turn asked her: " So you are not willing to help me?" Her answer was: "No, I'm leaving service at 14H00."

I asked her again: "So you are not willing to work a bit longer to help me?"

Her answer was again: "No", and once again she stressed that she's leaving service at 14H00, and that I should wait.

I was extremely shocked that a Police Officer would give such an answer. I was looking at my watch to see exactly what the time was. It was exactly 13H45.

I turned to walk out and took to steps to the door, stop and turned around and told her following: "Do not be surprised if this matter ends up on the Ombudsman's table." My eyes caaught the officers on my right, who all turned their heads immediately to the Officer. She was still standing behind her desk, with her head arched looking down at her table. Then I walked out without any help.

I thought for a long time afterwards about the incident and asked myself the following questions:

1) Is it still a part of Apartheid?

2) Is it part of repaying racism?

3) Is it part of discrimination? (Are these things still applicable after 30 years of independence?)

4) What would the Police Officer have done if the person standing in front of her, was her father, mother, brother or sister?

I do not have the affidavit, which I have to file with NBC as proof of theft of my TV so that the TV can be deleted from my name, nor do I have an affidavit that I have to submit to MTC so that my cellphone can be deleted.

I now have no choice or option, but to use this writing as proof that I have tried to obtain an affidavit.

(Letter abridged. - Editor)