Where are the whites?
By Kakede Ka Nangula

I am wondering as to when the Policy of National reconciliation is going to be put into practice by all people in Namibia.

I am asking this question because of some people in this country -especially our white compatriots, who seem not to be caring about that Policy.

Last Sunday when the people of Namibia, and not (South West Africa) were happy celebrating their Independence;

The Independence stadium was full to the capacity. But when I looked around, hardly there were faces of fellow white Namibians.

One would then ask a question, why were the whites indifferent?

Is it maybe because they do not regard Namibia as their country, or probably, they do not recognise the government of the day as theirs? We know that, when SWAPO took over reins of government at the attainment of Namibia’s Independence; many whites left the country and went to South Africa.

Notwithstanding the fact that, SWAPO has adopted a policy of National reconciliation.

However, despite the attitude of certain whites towards the SWAPO Party Government, the other day, I was surprised by one white Afrikaans-speaking boy; I was having a problem with a battery that was apparently flat. I only discovered that after filling in petrol, when I was now pulling out.

The car was not starting. So this white Afrikaans speaking boy came to me and asked me why the car was not starting. I said, I did not know why. He opened the bonnet and said to me; “Uncle your battery has got no water, it is completely dry.

Later, he introduced himself as Gert Louw; a member of the SWAPO Youth League. He then went on to talk politics; he said to me “Uncle, we the white born frees who were born 20 years ago, just as old as Namibia, we do not care about different colours of people in our country.”

I joined SWAPO because SWAPO brought about peace and the policy of National reconciliation.

It is then through that policy, all of us supposed to truly reconcile; but some whites in this country still live in the past.” The boy literally lectured me.

Coming back to my topic, for how long more our white compatriots will remain indifferent whenever Namibians are celebrating big events such as the country’s Independence?