Bartender recalls slap from ex-deputy minister
Tsumeb bartender Hilya Namulo, who was physically attacked by former information deputy minister Engel Nawatiseb, said the politician lied when he said the attack was in retaliation for insults she had directed at him.
A viral CCTV video shows Nawatiseb slapping Namulo in a bar, and throwing another object - seemingly a branded bar mat - at her.
The controversial former deputy minister defended his actions, saying he was tired of being insulted with expletives such as ‘voetsek’ and ‘shanyoko’.
Speaking to Namibian Sun this week, Namulo poked holes in Nawatiseb’s version of events, saying she does not insult elders.
The 26-year-old said: “He walked into a bar where I had a few customers and asked me to reduce the volume. As you can see in the video, I went straight to the jukebox and reduced the volume, as per his request”.
“He then insisted that I must unplug the jukebox altogether, and I said ‘for that, I’ll have to speak to my boss’, who was sleeping. I told him that I’m just an employee, and that I am not allowed to unplug things. That’s when he lost it and slapped me and threw an object at me. I was really scared.”
‘I’m new here’
After the attack, the police were called to the scene, but they found that the ex-minister - who lives close to the bar - had already gone home.
“The police came, but they didn’t even call Nawatiseb, at least to ask him why he attacked me. They only spoke to me and left without even assisting me to open a case. I went to the station and the officers at the station, who are from the same tribe as Nawatiseb, didn’t help me. I had to return the next day to open a case,” she recalled.
Namulo, from Oshipumbu Shomugongo village in the Oshana Region, said she only started working at the bar on 3 May, and the attack happened on 30 May.
“I am new here. I have no background to the whole thing. If he came here before to complain about noise, I am not aware because I am new in the job. He should’ve dealt with my boss instead of attacking me,” she added.
The altercation happened at around 23:00. “We close at 00:00, so it’s not like we were operating after the permissible hours or something.”
On the allegation that she insulted Nawatiseb, Namulo said: “If I was ill-mannered, like he is trying to portray me, I would have physically retaliated. I complied with his request and he still slapped me. I never insulted him. I don’t insult elders”.
No justification
The attack has drawn condemnation from both opposition and ruling party politicians. The official opposition, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), said in a statement: “We call upon our law enforcement agencies to act swiftly and decisively in bringing the perpetrator to justice”.
Commenting on the video of the assault, Swapo member of parliament Tobie Aupindi said: “There should be no justification for anyone to assault anybody, especially a woman, no matter the circumstances. If a man can just slap a woman in [a public place], I can just imagine what women experience behind closed doors”.
A viral CCTV video shows Nawatiseb slapping Namulo in a bar, and throwing another object - seemingly a branded bar mat - at her.
The controversial former deputy minister defended his actions, saying he was tired of being insulted with expletives such as ‘voetsek’ and ‘shanyoko’.
Speaking to Namibian Sun this week, Namulo poked holes in Nawatiseb’s version of events, saying she does not insult elders.
The 26-year-old said: “He walked into a bar where I had a few customers and asked me to reduce the volume. As you can see in the video, I went straight to the jukebox and reduced the volume, as per his request”.
“He then insisted that I must unplug the jukebox altogether, and I said ‘for that, I’ll have to speak to my boss’, who was sleeping. I told him that I’m just an employee, and that I am not allowed to unplug things. That’s when he lost it and slapped me and threw an object at me. I was really scared.”
‘I’m new here’
After the attack, the police were called to the scene, but they found that the ex-minister - who lives close to the bar - had already gone home.
“The police came, but they didn’t even call Nawatiseb, at least to ask him why he attacked me. They only spoke to me and left without even assisting me to open a case. I went to the station and the officers at the station, who are from the same tribe as Nawatiseb, didn’t help me. I had to return the next day to open a case,” she recalled.
Namulo, from Oshipumbu Shomugongo village in the Oshana Region, said she only started working at the bar on 3 May, and the attack happened on 30 May.
“I am new here. I have no background to the whole thing. If he came here before to complain about noise, I am not aware because I am new in the job. He should’ve dealt with my boss instead of attacking me,” she added.
The altercation happened at around 23:00. “We close at 00:00, so it’s not like we were operating after the permissible hours or something.”
On the allegation that she insulted Nawatiseb, Namulo said: “If I was ill-mannered, like he is trying to portray me, I would have physically retaliated. I complied with his request and he still slapped me. I never insulted him. I don’t insult elders”.
No justification
The attack has drawn condemnation from both opposition and ruling party politicians. The official opposition, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), said in a statement: “We call upon our law enforcement agencies to act swiftly and decisively in bringing the perpetrator to justice”.
Commenting on the video of the assault, Swapo member of parliament Tobie Aupindi said: “There should be no justification for anyone to assault anybody, especially a woman, no matter the circumstances. If a man can just slap a woman in [a public place], I can just imagine what women experience behind closed doors”.
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