Walvis Bay Rural Constituency Councillor Florian Donatus says officials in his office frequently use their salaries to buy food for residents who are affected by urban starvation.
Donatus has thus pleaded with Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila to provide drought relief to those living in informal settlements in urban areas. The Prime Minister paid a courtesy call on the Erongo Governor and the rest of the regional political leadership at Swakopmund.
The Walvis Bay Rural Constituency Councillor revealed that starvation is a serious problem in his area.
"Our officers are frequented by people that are very hungry, to the extent that we are giving up our own salaries to these people to feed them, and sometimes I am disturbed; I don't even want to go to the office because if I help out today and tomorrow, how is it sustainable? And it's high time that the drought relief must also maybe come back; there are certain people that, if we happen not to give them a bag of maize as a regional councillor, they have no where to go to eat," he said.
Donatus indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic fuelled urban starvation as residents in the constituency lost their jobs and businesses. In response, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila informed the leaders that the cabinet has approved including vulnerable urban people in the drought relief programme.
She, however, emphasised that there is a need for local authorities and the regional council to drive local economic growth to ensure people have jobs.
"Our strategies must also be homegrown; growth must be driven by our own people because that is the only way we are going to ensure that growth translates into improved welfare conditions. Besides that, if we cannot promote the development of local entrepreneurs, if we cannot promote job creation, and if we cannot ensure that there is a living wage, then it means that you have to resort to donations for basic shelter and job creation. It is not only important that they earn their own income; it is also important for their dignity."
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila added that the food bank programme can be used to provide a short-term solution, but food security can also be promoted by creating backyard gardens in urban areas.