OTAVI: A variety of unexploded ordnance of South African origin were found hidden in shallow holes in the ground at Farm Broken Hills in the Otavi area on Thursday.

The Broken Hills farm is situated 14 kilomtres south-east of Otavi in the Otjozondjupa Region.

The farm was bought three years ago by the Organisation for the Empowerment of Widows/Widowers and Orphans due to HIV/AIDS in Namibia (OEWONA).

Namibian First Lady Penehupifo Pohamba is patron of OEWONA.

There are currently no orphans and/or vulnerable people on the farm, since it is under re-construction until January 2013, said Linus Kaluapa, the farm caretaker.

Kaluapa told Nampa on Friday that he found the unexploded devices when he was digging shallow holes near a water tap at the farm.

He then reported his discovery to the Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in Otavi on the same day.

NamPol’s head of explosives, Deputy Commissioner John Alweendo told Nampa in an interview on Friday at the farm that the unexploded ordnances are old, and are of South African origin.

“I assessed them together with the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) members today (Friday),” he said.

It was found that amongst the devices are high explosive hand grenades, hand fire explosives, 2 000 rounds of browning machine guns, R1M1 round bullets, 10 800 round bullets, hand grenades and many other sensitive, but rusted explosives.

Alweendo warned Namibian farmworkers countrywide not to dare touch or play with any suspicious-looking devices.

“If you find it, don’t touch it, report it immediately to your nearest police station,” he appealed.