The Erongo Police will continue their special operations to arrest drug dealers, thieves, and other criminals terrorising Swakopmund residents.

Chief Inspector Iileni Shapumba says recent operations in this regard have yielded success.

The Erongo police have been carrying out special operations on the streets of Swakopmund to decrease crime.

Residents, especially in the Mondesa and DRC informal settlements, have said their streets are no longer safe.

Residents of Swakopmund have expressed deep concern over the recent rise in crime in the coastal town, calling for increased police visibility. They stated that they no longer feel safe.

The elderly say that they cannot attend church services during the weekdays because they fear for their lives.

They say if they are not found with valuable items, they are bitten, slapped, and kicked.

The community members say there is poor police visibility, making them feel unsafe because the police do not patrol the streets regularly, especially at crime hotspots.

Nampol Inspector General Joseph Shikongo has emphasised the need for building trust and cooperation between the police and the public.
 
Lieutenant General Shikongo says law enforcement and crime prevention require community and solution-oriented policing.

Speaking at a police community engagement in Swakopmund, General Shikongo said community policing is meant to create an environment where police and the community can work together to identify and solve problems. 

Preparations for the coastal trade fair are in full swing, with more than 100 exhibitors expected to participate.

The newly introduced coastal trade fair, which is aimed at boosting local entrepreneurs and SMEs, will open its doors for four days at the heartbeat of Swakopmund's Mondesa Multi-purpose Centre, from June 25 to 29. 

Swakopmund residents have proposed that the constituency be divided into two to better deliver services to the growing population.

The constituency population has grown by 41 percent since 2011.

The 5th Boundaries Delimitation and Demarcation Commission gave the Swakopmund Constituency a second opportunity to consult the community.

At the previous meeting on the 10th, it was discovered that the community was not consulted.

However, only 40 people turned up to share their ideas, and some expressed disappointment in the poor attendance.

The Mass Housing Development Programme has made another deposit of 119 houses at Matutura Extension 9 in Swakopmund, narrowing the housing gap in the country.

The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni, says this shows the government's commitment to addressing the housing backlog.

The 119 houses that were handed over are the last batch of the 319 houses that were given to New Era Investments for completion in 2022.

Uutoni noted, with great appreciation, that the 319 houses have been completed ahead of schedule.

Chief Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the Commander of Community Policing in the Erongo Region, has issued a stern warning to the public against engaging in mob justice and taking the law into their own hands. 

This warning was prompted by an incident in the DRC Informal Settlement of Swakopmund, where residents barricaded a road in response to the death of a woman who was reportedly struck and killed by a taxi driver a week ago.

As people leave rural areas in search of a better livelihood, towns such as Swakopmund are under immense pressure, and their capacity to deliver is a challenge.

The Swakopmund population has grown to over 75,000 people from about 45,000 recorded about 13 years ago. The majority of them live in informal settlements. 

Swakopmund is one of the towns that has been experiencing a high influx of people from all around the country, some of whom could not land a job and ended up fending for themselves.

Former Governor of the Erongo Region, Samuel Nuuyoma, says the Swapo Party is determined and ready to improve the living conditions of Namibians because that is the reason the party fought and sacrificed to liberate the country.

Nuuyoma made the remarks at a mini rally at Swakopmund, where he handed over cards to new members.

According to him, Swapo's plan for a better Namibia is not lost because the party will use available resources to realise that dream.

Rossing Uranium has solidified the extension of its agreement with the Namibian Police Force to another three years to repair old, rusted, and faulty police vehicles at Swakopmund at a cost of N$750,000.

A total of 11 police vehicles were refurbished and maintained by the uranium mine for the past two years, at a cost of N$250,000.

Due to the wet weather conditions in the coastal towns, cars are prone to rust, and the bodies of the vehicles are damaged easily if proper care and maintenance are not taken.