The homeless living at Windhoek's Khomasdal Stadium also added their voice of remembrance for the late President Hage Geingob.

Like all the people spoken to during this time of grief, they found it difficult to comprehend his death.

They found the late Geingob to be a leader who cared for the people.

During the outbreak of COVID-19, they were accommodated here, and most of them now have national documents and get monthly grants.

For many homeless individuals, Christmas is just another difficult day.

The holiday season can be particularly difficult for them, as they are often faced with loneliness and hunger.

Little is left for them as they rummage through the bins because people have gone away for holidays.

As the city becomes quieter, the homeless population continues to beg on the streets, but they feel even more isolated and vulnerable.

There are organisations and shelters in Windhoek that strive to provide some comfort and support to the homeless during Christmas.

About 30 residents of Aussenkehr, whose reed houses were destroyed by a fire two weeks ago, are still being housed in tents.  

The blazing fire displaced 57 households and claimed a life. 

The fire started at one of the reed houses before spreading quickly, leaving destruction in its wake. It claimed the life of the owner of the house where the fire started. Willem Shiyoleni burned beyond recognition.

Priskilla Dausas, 71, who was evicted from Cando Farm three years ago, is still homeless.

Dausas was moved next to the fence opposite the road when the new farm owner, with no use for new workers, took over.

At the time, Dausas recalls that she had many farm animals, but their numbers have dwindled with time, moving further away from Farm Cando each time.

She is currently placed near neighbouring Farm Paloma in the Omatako District, but the pensioner says she cannot stay here as cattle theft is on the rise in the area.

The homeless and those living in extreme poverty are more exposed to harsh weather conditions.

To establish how some survive the winter, reporter Eveline Paulus visited the underprivileged residents of Otjiwarongo and compiled this.

Waking up early on cold mornings is this group of impoverished people, who rush to the Otjiwarongo dumpsite in search of food and other valuable items to sell.

Mothers can be seen with their babies, including an unsupervised toddler about five years old.

A former homeless family of 11 at Walvis Bay is now the proud owner of a new three-bedroom house.

This is after the Walvis Bay Municipality and the Walvis Bay Rural Constituency came to the rescue of Johannes Hamutenya's family.

The house was donated to 18-year-old Johannes Hamutenya, who was born paralysed and is unable to walk or speak.

Hamutenya's mother, Justina Hamutenya, says her family has been without a proper house for decades as they moved from place to place in the harbour town.

The Khomasdal Constituency Councillor, Samuel Angolo, wishes the Windhoek Municipality to relocate homeless people residing at Khomasdal Stadium.

Angolo was speaking at the handover of blankets to the homeless people there.

The Khomasdal Constituency Councillor, Samuel Oputuli Angolo, donated 40 blankets and hot water bottles to keep the residents warm on the cold winter nights.

The plight of the homeless people who were housed by Government at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic at the Katutura and Khomasdal Sports Fields has not changed.

Despite the drop in fatalities during the spread of the disease, the homeless people still live there, enduring harsh daily realities.

The shelters provided by Government and corporates were considered temporary refuges due to the pandemic.

The business community of Swakopmund is unhappy with beggars and homeless people in the town, saying they are harassing tourists and scaring away potential investors.

Residents addressed a safety interaction meeting at Swakopmund.

Also speaking at the occasion was the town's mayor, Dina Namubes, who says she is aware of the various challenges faced by the community and the factors leading to them.

A caretaker for displaced people at the Katutura Youth Complex has appealed to good Samaritans, including the government, to come to the aid of the homeless.

A number of homeless people were moved to the sports grounds in March 2020, during the outbreak of COVID-19.

It was raining and cold on Monday, and the temporary tents provided for them three years ago were wet through.

Many wonder why these people are homeless, where they come from, and why they are not returning to their families.