Erongo police say that they have stopped giving travel permits even when someone wants to attend a funeral or a wedding.
So far ever since the area was put under lockdown, about five travel permits have been given.
In an interview with Eagle FM Thursday, Inspector Ileni Shapumba, the regional police spokesperson said that some people have been asking to leave the region because of hunger.
Inspector Shapumba said only the station commanders of Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Arandis are allowed to issue out travel permits.
According to Inspector Shapumba, some people approach the police in anger when they apply for permits and not given.
People, Inspector Shapumba said, must bear in kind that when they apply for permits, they cannot be evacuated within a day because there are processes to be taken.
The inspector said that marriage is about pleasure and that when people go to the village, the marriage has to be blessed by elderly people whose immune systems are compromised.
Currently, Inspector Shapumba said they have decided to hold on issuing the travel permits ‘even in death’.
Shapumba added that people are among the 15Â 000 who are being given food but still there are some who want to leave town.
Of course, he said, some people have lost jobs and those self-employed have also been affected but the food is being given out.
