The Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) will not involve itself or take a stand on whether the Veterinary Cordon Fence commonly known as the Red Line, must be removed or not.

This was stated by Meatco’s Corporate Communications Officer Undamuje Hambira in an interview with Nampa on the company’s position on calls for the removal of the line.

“We are not getting involved in the discussions or the case. We are an entity that is regulated by governing bodies such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform and the Meat Board of Namibia. So, the discussion is really with our regulators and of course with the courts now,” Hambira said.

Meatco’s comment comes at a time when some industry experts and key players have warned that should the Red Line be removed, Namibia would lose billions in exports.

Last week, following years of calls for the line to be removed, City of Windhoek Mayor Job Amupanda took Government to court, arguing that the Red Line is a colonial structure that continues to be used to control the movement of people and animals from northern to southern Namibia.

Amupanda argues that the fence is not sanctioned or made provision for by any laws in Namibia.

He highlighted in his application that whenever travelling from the north to the south, he like many other Namibians have been subjected to “degrading and inhumane treatment” by Government officials.

The mayor is seeking for the court to declare the erection of the Red Line as unlawful and unconstitutional.

Source: Namibia Press Agency