By: Annakleta Haikera

All People’s Party (APP) has called on Namibian Defence Force (NDF) to bring patrol operations to Rundu. APP’s secretary-general made the call Vincent Kanyetu on Wednesday during a press conference in the town.

According to Kanyetu, the services are needed because the town is becoming unsafe. He said the police officers in the region are not sufficient to attend to all crimes.

“If the police partner with NDF, there will be more vehicles and officers to attend to crime reports on time. We need more police officers in town to bring the situation back to normal. Rundu is a garden town that attracts more tourists, but these small boys rob people daily. They are creating threats to the visitors and the residents,” he said.

Kanyetu also called residents of Rundu to be on alert for boys aged 16 and above.

“They are dangerous, especially the women, to do their daily activities only during the day and be at home at night because it’s more dangerous at night than during the day,” he cried out.

At the event, he shares the story of a female security guard that was allegedly raped last week while on duty.

“The information was very shocking: a lady who works as a security officer was raped by a group of boys while on duty.”

In this vein, he called on security companies to ensure those female guards are placed at a safe post or accompanied by their male counterparts.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Vilho Kalwenya of the Kavango East police told The Villager that crime has escalated in Rundu; however, statistics recorded as per region don’t have high crimes rate as voiced by Kanyetu.

“If he has a lot of information on the basic crime committed, he can come to the police regional head office, and we can address the situation. Yes, the zula boys are there, but where do they come from? They are from our houses.”

Kalwenya stressed that people’s problem in Rundu is that they talk without action, adding most of the small boys committing these crimes are school dropouts and those who are unemployed.

“They want shortcuts to life, and we will not allow crime to increase in our town. We will work day and night to eliminate the crimes being committed,” he said.

The deputy commissioner also called on the residents to help the police to eliminate crime in the town. He added that Rundu would not be crime-free if the public, business sectors, government and NGOs don’t join hands with the police.

‘Most of the crimes reported in Rundu town are housebreaking, cellphone grabbing, and stock theft, but as per region, these crimes are committed by the young boys aged from 14 to 18, and these are our brothers, sons and uncles. What are we as a town or individual doing about it? When you find out that your son has a new phone you didn’t buy? Why should you, as a parent, keep quiet? We are controlling the town. We need to help each other. Many people are benefiting from their kids stealing from people; let’s stop this as parents,” he explained.

Namibia’s crime rate and statistics for 2020 stood at 11.92 per cent, a 32.55 per cent decline from 2012.