From security officer to deputy mayor
SWAKOPMUND - Swakopmund resident David Makasa Am-gabeb (56) was until recently just an ordinary person and doing an ordinary job in the security industry.
The humble and soft spoken guard supervisor for G4S security services is one of the surprise packages of the 2020 local authority elections as he was last year elected as the deputy mayor of Swakopmund.
The father of four, however, is not new to politics as he was part of the Damara Council that was transformed into the United Democratic Front ( UDF) after independence in order to take part in the first elections.
He also served as the Swakopmund branch chairperson of UDF prior to him elected as councillor and subsequently as deputy mayor.
“I know I will be serving in the council for the next five years, but I want to use my position to better the lives of those that have yet to see development in their communities, especially the residents of the Democratic Resettlement Community (DRC),” he said in an interview with New Era.
He said helping DRC residents, as well as the youth of the town, has always been close to his heart.
According to Am-gabeb, basic services such as electricity and pre-paid water can make a huge difference in the life of DRC residents and are some of the initiatives he wants to push.
“It will open endless possibilities for them, especially for those that want to be entrepreneurs as business opportunities will be endless,” he explained.
As for the youth, he said, he wants to make more opportunities, especially in sport more accessible for all.
“Education is currently the main focus, but we forget that our children can also excel in sport and that it can be a source of income. That is why I want to do more in this regard,” he said.
‘I love my job’
According to Am-gabeb he enjoys his job in the security industry and is not quitting anytime soon.
“I am serving in the council but I also know that the position is only temporary, although it can be demanding at times. However, I would not want to change the security industry for anything else,” he said.
He said he has learned to plan and make sure that he communicates his schedule in advance to his employers so they know when he is attending to council duties.
“This is very essential as it allows for a sound working relationship that does not clash with my permanent job,” he explained.
Koster Cronje, a manager at G4S in Swakopmund and who works closely with Am-gabeb, said his nomination as the deputy mayor is a huge achievement for the company.
“We are really proud of him and wish him well in his new journey,” he said yesterday.
President of UDF Apius Auchab also said that every political position is an achievement for any political party.
“It has never happened in the history of UDF in terms of a councillor serving as a deputy mayor at the town. We in the past only managed to serve as a member of the management committee on the Swakopmund council,” Auchab said.