Livestock impounded by Otjiwarongo municipality for illegal grazing

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Over 530 livestock belonging to farmers illegally occupying townland at Otjiwarongo, were on Tuesday morning impounded by the municipality’s emergency officials.

The Otjiwarongo Municipality’s Chief Emergency Officer Daniel Pavaza, who commanded the exercise, told Nampa in an interview the impounded livestock includes 300 goats, 203 sheep and 30 cattle.

“There are still many more to be impounded and we will go back for them on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as per the instructions given to us by management,” he said.

More than 40 illegal farmers are occupying townland southeast of the town, said Pavaza.

Owners of the livestock on 09 July 2021 staged a march after they were issued with eviction notices by the municipality.

The farmers, most of whom were pensioners, during the march denounced a council resolution passed last month for them to remove their livestock from the municipal land in order to make way for the town’s development.

They handed over a petition to the town’s then acting chief executive officer, Frieda Mokotjomelo, who promised to come back to them, but also insisted that the eviction notices will not be withdrawn as they were issued after a town council resolution.

Mukotjomelo had warned that failure to comply with the notices as of 07 July 2021 would lead to their livestock being impounded and owners being issued with fines of N.dollars 249.10 per head of livestock per day.

The farmers on their part argued that they are farming on the periphery of Otjiwarongo, about seven kilometres from the central business district (CBD), and should be allowed to keep their animals there.

They claim to have been using the land for nearly 10 years and that they have nowhere else to take their animals.

The impounded goats, sheep and cattle are being kept at the Paresis Sports Stadium in custody of the municipality and can be released on conditions the owner pays N.dollars 249.10 per head per day, and also to relocate these animals from the townland, said Pavaza.

Source: Namibia Press Agency