Two young activists, Armando Pieters and Shonena Nathanael, stormed into the chambers of the City of Windhoek on Wednesday to express their mounting frustrations over what they call "unresolved grievances."
Armando Pieters, a young activist who initiated a community clean-up campaign and met the late President Hage Geingob at the age of 12, has a deep passion for his community, which has not gone unnoticed.
At the time, Dr. Geingob praised him for his contributions to the community, saying, "With the abilities you have, you will be sitting here right here on this very seat, so please fight the war of poverty, so what you have done must be done for all the kids, for all the communities."
Pieters explained that what sparked the incident on Wednesday was the lack of support for the reading room at the Katutura Community Hall.
The reading room has served as a vital resource for the community of Windhoek Central, providing access to books, learner's licence classes, GBV trainings, educational programmes, and a safe space for children and adults alike.
Reflecting on Wednesday's event, Pieters stated that while they do not regret their actions, they are pleased that their message was clearly conveyed."What prompted yesterday was to show the city that their mandate is to serve the community."
The activists stressed that their actions were a last resort after all other avenues had failed.
The disruption did, however, yield some immediate results.
Later that evening, the CEO, Moses Matyayi, through the Executive Secretary of Economic Development and Community Services, reached out to the activists, promising to meet their demands.
The City of Windhoek responded with a media release dated August 2, which reads: The City of Windhoek remains committed to addressing all resident complaints with seriousness and respect. We encourage constructive engagement through the proper channels to foster dialogue and community development.
The CoW also reemphasised its dedication to advancing youth development and is currently reviewing an inclusive youth development policy, which will be open for public input by October 2024.