At least two black workers have been shot dead, and a number injured, since the introduction of a special permanent police force at the Katutura workers' hotel in August this year. The force is comprised of 50 Ovambo 'Special Constables' drawn, it appears, from the tribal police set up in the northern bantustans in the early 1970s, and is under the command of six white SAP members.
The new full-time force arose from discussions held in July 1980 between the Management Committee of the Windhoek City Council and the Administrator General's office. It exists ostensibly to deal with security problems at the Katutura workers' compound arising from the high unemployment rate and the 1977 decision to abolish influx control. According to SWAPO the real reason is to suppress political activities among the contract workers, the majority of whom are known to support the liberation movement.
The Municipality reported that the hundreds of unauthorised job-seekers living in and around the Katutura compound were creating 'control problems'. The Municipal Police (an earlier special force established by the City Council in Windhoek in May 1978 following the assassination of Chief Clemens Kapuuo) was in its view incapable of dealing with the problem as it did not possess full police powers.
The new force resulting from these exchanges falls under the authority of the South African Police, although its accommodation at the Katutura hostel (but not its salary bill) is being paid for by the City Council. The 50 Ovambo-speaking members of the force are all Special Constables transferred from northern Namibia.
SHOOTINGS The new force was first deployed at the Katutura compound at the beginning of August. Its behaviour quickly led to complaints from the inmates. A hostel resident who wrote to the Windhoek Observer, for example, alleged that the 'so-called police' were causing bigger problems at the compound than at any time in the preceding two years: > Rifles are pointed daily at residents. Is the place a hostel or a military camp? ... We who live in the compound are all workers, yet our place has become a prison ... We are tired of these police youths who are cursing their own fathers because they have an FN rifle in their hands.
On 6 September, Lungikesa AMOKETI (33) was shot dead by a Special Constable when he failed to produce his documents on demand at leaving his quarters at the hostel. He ran away when the constable tried to arrest him and was shot in the back after two warning shots had been fired.
A week later, Temus SILVANUS (22) was shot dead in the early hours of the morning when he ignored an order not to enter the hostel and refused to show his documents. Two shots were fired by a Special Constable after Silvanus allegedly drew a panga.
UN PLAN The Katutura hostel police adds yet another unit to the proliferation of different types of police already in existence in the territory. The expansion and diversification of the police on tribal lines parallels recent developments in the army in Namibia, notably the formation of 'tribal armies' culminating in the inauguration of the 'SWA/Namibia Territory Force'. The role of the various tribal units, both police and army, under the UN settlement plan for Namibia's independence is becoming increasingly unclear as more and more units are formed.
On 1 September, moreover, the South African Police in Namibia, with the exception of the security branch and the national intelligence services, were handed over to the authority of the SWA Administrator General and the newly-constituted Council of Ministers. They are now called the 'SWA/Namibia' police and South African police serving in the territory are officially doing so on secondment. The command structure of the police in the territory remains unchanged. Major-General J. Geldenhuys, the retiring Chief of the Army in Namibia, has told journalists that members of the 'SWA/Namibia' police and army units 'are permanent residents of the territory and cannot be expected to withdraw from it as required by Resolution 435'. He pointed out that 'these SWA units can also not be disbanded because they are in the service of the State and are dependent on their service for a livelihood'.
Under the UN settlement plan endorsed by Resolution 435, the citizen forces, commando and ethnic forces are to be demobilised and their command structures dismantled. 'Territorial' forces are not mentioned.
SPECIAL TASK FORCE A police 'Special Task Force', mentioned in the Namibian press in August this year, appears to be yet another new police unit. A constable of the Special Task Force appeared before the Windhoek magistrate's court at the beginning of August on a murder charge.
At the end of August, white members of the Task Force were involved in an incident at the Windhoek stock car races in which a black spectator was beaten up. The Task Force members, who were present in civilian clothes at the races, were described by the Windhoek Observer as 'young white thugs'.
