NamWater has removed a wall that was built by individuals at Omuthitugwaamalwa Village to divert or privatise water.

The wall interrupted water flow from Olushandja Dam's south wall outlet into the Etaka-Uuvudhiya canal for some 130 kilometres.

The drought had left livestock without water in the Oshana and Omusati regions following poor rainfall.

Namwater then started last week to pump water as a measure of relief for livestock.

Some community members, however, build walls to divert the water from the canal for themselves.

"We got a call from the governor himself that he discovered also by chance that somebody had built a wall in the middle of the canal with the intention to divert some water for their own use, and in the vicinity we could also observe that there was some brickwork going on; it seems that somebody had the intention of diverting the water for their own commercial use," explained Hieronymus Goraseb, Namwater Acting Head: Business Unit North-West.

Goraseb says everyone should have access to water, and the utility will not take lightly anyone who will interrupt the water flow.

"If you look in the areas of Otamanzi going up to Oponona, there is real dryness, animals are suffering, and people are walking long distances to get water, so this is totally unacceptable. We have to ask members of the public to refrain from this kind of behaviour, and if they notice that somebody is building this kind of obstruction, they must please inform us so that we can act upon that."

Omusati Governor Erginus Endjala, who also hurried to the site to observe the destruction of the obstacle wall, stressed that such behaviour by some members of the public is unacceptable.

"We therefore urge and strongly warn that any person who intends to detract this water will be severely dealt with because this water is intended to make sure the water reaches the people for alleviation of water thirst in our animals at Ombuga."