The chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs, security, constitutional and legal affairs, John Likando, says urban poverty and the repossession of houses by commercial banks in the Erongo region need immediate attention.
Likando said this during an oversight engagement with selected organisations, ministries and agencies under their ambit at Swakopmund on Thursday.
He said he has also identified a lack of housing and the exploitation of the country’s resources and minerals in terms of value addition.
Supporting Likando’s sentiments, ombudsman Basilius Dyakugha said people must be able to benefit from the country’s natural resources.
Other issues raised during the engagement was delays in concluding criminal cases, resulting in overcrowded cells.
Responding to questions during the engagement, acting chief magistrate Ingrid Uunengu said a successful magistrate’s commission requires the cooperation of all key players in the criminal justice system.
She said the key players include law-enforcement officers, social workers, investigators, prosecutors, interpreters, agencies and magistrates.
The engagement underscored the need for legal reform.
According to the parliament, the committee is expected to probe the Ministry of Justice on the delay of the promulgation of the Witness Protection Act and the Whistleblower Protection Act.
The committee will also interrogate the ministry on the delays in tabling the High Court amendment bill of 2021 and the magistrate’s courts amendment bill of 2021.
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