Otjiwarongo farmers march against eviction notices
OTJIWARONGO – Over 40 livestock farmers allegedly illegally occupying townland belonging to the Otjiwarongo Municipality staged a march on Thursday to oppose eviction notices issued to them this week.
The farmers, most of whom are pensioners, denounced a council resolution that was passed last month for them to remove their livestock from municipal land in order to make way for the town’s development.
They handed over a petition to the town’s 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officer, Frieda Mokotjomelo, who promised to come back to them, but also insisted that the eviction notices will not be withdrawn as they were issued after a town council resolution.
“Failure to comply with the notices as of 7 July 2021, your livestock may be impounded and owners issued with a fine of N$249 per head of livestock per day,” she stressed.
The farmers 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.
“I am from this town, and I make a living through farming. This municipality should allow me to keep my livestock on that piece of land until the government finds me another place to take them to,” said 73-year-old Angelika Goreses.
She said she also received an eviction notice on Monday.
Another aggrieved farmer, 61-year-old Margret Uiras, on her part threatened to boycott all election activities in future should the municipality continue forcing her to remove her livestock from the land where she has been farming for the past three years.