Helao Shityuwete
Encyclopedia
Helao Shityuwete is a Namibia
n author and former politician and military commander. After Namibia gained independence in 1990, Shityuwete published his autobiography titled "Never Follow the Wolf" which chronicled his time on Robben Island
as well as his trial for involvement in the Namibian War of Independence
as commander of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
, the military wing of the South West Africa People's Organization.
In February 1985, Shityuwete received a scholarship to study at the University of Birmingham
in the United Kingdom
. He studied in Birmingham until 1987, when he graduated and moved to London
, where he married and had a child. He returned to Namibia in 1989 upon the establishment of the Constituent Assembly, which wrote the Namibian Constitution
. Though he moved back in 1989, Shityuwete's family did not join him until days before official independence in March 1990. He was hired to help found as Deputy Director of Human Resources in the Ministry of Labour upon independence, where he worked with future ambassador Ponhele ya France
as well as Katrina Itula. He worked in the Interior Ministry until retirement in 1996. In 2009, Shityuwete was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
in 2009 and had successful surgery to remove the cancer in neighboring South Africa
. In early 2010, he also suffered a stroke which left him unable to speak English
, though he later recovered the ability to speak it through the help of a language therapist.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n author and former politician and military commander. After Namibia gained independence in 1990, Shityuwete published his autobiography titled "Never Follow the Wolf" which chronicled his time on Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
as well as his trial for involvement in the Namibian War of Independence
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
as commander of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
People's Liberation Army of Namibia
The People's Liberation Army of Namibia was the active military wing of the South West Africa People's Organization during the Namibian War of Independence. It sought independence for the territory from South African rule. PLAN launched its first attack on the South African military at...
, the military wing of the South West Africa People's Organization.
In February 1985, Shityuwete received a scholarship to study at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He studied in Birmingham until 1987, when he graduated and moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he married and had a child. He returned to Namibia in 1989 upon the establishment of the Constituent Assembly, which wrote the Namibian Constitution
Constitution of Namibia
The Constitution of Namibia is the constitution of theRepublic of Namibia. Adopted in February 1990, a month prior to Namibia's independence from apartheid South Africa, it was written by an elected constituent assembly.-Preamble:...
. Though he moved back in 1989, Shityuwete's family did not join him until days before official independence in March 1990. He was hired to help found as Deputy Director of Human Resources in the Ministry of Labour upon independence, where he worked with future ambassador Ponhele ya France
Ponhele ya France
Ponhele Andrew Mbidi ya France was a Namibian politician and trade unionist. A long time member of SWAPO, ya France was a elected into the National Assembly of Namibia from 2000-2005...
as well as Katrina Itula. He worked in the Interior Ministry until retirement in 1996. In 2009, Shityuwete was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
in 2009 and had successful surgery to remove the cancer in neighboring South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. In early 2010, he also suffered a stroke which left him unable to speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, though he later recovered the ability to speak it through the help of a language therapist.