Nekundi’s livestock reflector project backed by animal welfare groups
Animal welfare groups have welcomed transport minister Veikko Nekundi’s animal visibility pilot project, despite criticism from some quarters that Namibia faces more pressing challenges, such as unemployment and infrastructure deficits.
Nekundi last week launched the Animal Visibility Pilot Project at Embumba village in the Oshikuku constituency.
The initiative aims to reduce vehicle–animal collisions, a growing concern: official data show more than 5 500 animal-related road accidents were recorded nationwide between 2020 and 2025.
The project involves fitting free-roaming livestock with reflective ear tags and collars to improve visibility, particularly during high-risk periods such as dawn and dusk.
To support the rollout, the ministry imported thousands of specialised reflectors from China and India at a total cost of N$4.6 million.
More than 10 000 units will be distributed across Omusati, Oshana and Khomas, the regions identified as carrying the highest burden of animal-related road fatalities.
Animal welfare organisations say similar measures have already proven effective.
Janine van Rooyen of the Namibian Association of Animal Welfare (NAWA) told Namibian Sun yesterday that her organisation has been installing reflectors for about three years.
Van Rooyen said NAWA fits reflectors to working donkeys, horses, and animal-drawn carts, rather than to free-roaming animals.
She added that around eight months ago, the transport ministry contacted the association after noticing reflectors used in NAWA’s social media posts.
“They saw in our social media photos where we use reflectors in small towns where motorists drive at high speed," Van Rooyen explained.
"So the ministry approached us for ideas. We gave them our samples. We use white elastic reflectors, which they did not use,” she added.
She said NAWA has so far fitted reflectors on more than 350 donkeys and horses but questioned the scale of government’s approach, suggesting the pilot could have started on a smaller scale and focused on fewer animal categories.
Alternative approaches
Sylvia Breitenstein, director of operations at the Windhoek SPCA, suggested the project could be more effective if reflectors were attached as ear tags to prevent animals from becoming accidentally trapped.
“People are not taking care of their animals, and if an animal is stuck with the neck reflector and it is not found, that is something else,” she warned on Sunday.
Despite differing views on implementation, animal welfare groups and government officials generally agree that reducing animal-related accidents remains a pressing safety issue on Namibian roads.
Namibia is not the first country to use donkey reflectors as a road-safety measure. In northern Botswana, animal welfare organisations and charities have for years fitted reflective ear tags on free-roaming donkeys to reduce night-time accidents on poorly lit rural roads.
Similar initiatives have also been explored in other parts of Africa, including Somalia, where they have been proposed for donkey carts.
Life-saving project
Nekundi defended the initiative as a necessary, cost-effective road-safety intervention.
“It is heartbreaking to witness the loss of so many economically active Namibians, leaving families in grief and hardship,” Nekundi said. “Road safety is a personal responsibility, and these reflectors are a significant step in reducing the preventable carnage on our roads.”
In response to some criticism over the project’s costs, the minister argued that the expenditure is modest compared with large-scale infrastructure such as overpasses or extensive road-reserve fencing, stressing that road safety should take precedence over political debate.
Ministry statistics show that cattle, donkeys and dogs account for the majority of animal-related crashes, with the three pilot regions responsible for more than 40% of recorded fatalities.
While the reflectors are intended to help motorists identify hazards earlier, Nekundi cautioned that technology alone would not solve the problem.
“All we need to do is drive while you are sober so that you can see the reflectors,” he said, urging motorists to obey speed limits and avoid driving under the influence. He added that the ministry expects full cooperation from stakeholders, including the National Road Safety Council.
As the festive season approaches, Nekundi appealed to road users to treat road safety as a shared moral obligation, calling on Namibians to ensure they return home safely in 2026.
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Nekundi last week launched the Animal Visibility Pilot Project at Embumba village in the Oshikuku constituency.
The initiative aims to reduce vehicle–animal collisions, a growing concern: official data show more than 5 500 animal-related road accidents were recorded nationwide between 2020 and 2025.
The project involves fitting free-roaming livestock with reflective ear tags and collars to improve visibility, particularly during high-risk periods such as dawn and dusk.
To support the rollout, the ministry imported thousands of specialised reflectors from China and India at a total cost of N$4.6 million.
More than 10 000 units will be distributed across Omusati, Oshana and Khomas, the regions identified as carrying the highest burden of animal-related road fatalities.
Animal welfare organisations say similar measures have already proven effective.
Janine van Rooyen of the Namibian Association of Animal Welfare (NAWA) told Namibian Sun yesterday that her organisation has been installing reflectors for about three years.
Van Rooyen said NAWA fits reflectors to working donkeys, horses, and animal-drawn carts, rather than to free-roaming animals.
She added that around eight months ago, the transport ministry contacted the association after noticing reflectors used in NAWA’s social media posts.
“They saw in our social media photos where we use reflectors in small towns where motorists drive at high speed," Van Rooyen explained.
"So the ministry approached us for ideas. We gave them our samples. We use white elastic reflectors, which they did not use,” she added.
She said NAWA has so far fitted reflectors on more than 350 donkeys and horses but questioned the scale of government’s approach, suggesting the pilot could have started on a smaller scale and focused on fewer animal categories.
Alternative approaches
Sylvia Breitenstein, director of operations at the Windhoek SPCA, suggested the project could be more effective if reflectors were attached as ear tags to prevent animals from becoming accidentally trapped.
“People are not taking care of their animals, and if an animal is stuck with the neck reflector and it is not found, that is something else,” she warned on Sunday.
Despite differing views on implementation, animal welfare groups and government officials generally agree that reducing animal-related accidents remains a pressing safety issue on Namibian roads.
Namibia is not the first country to use donkey reflectors as a road-safety measure. In northern Botswana, animal welfare organisations and charities have for years fitted reflective ear tags on free-roaming donkeys to reduce night-time accidents on poorly lit rural roads.
Similar initiatives have also been explored in other parts of Africa, including Somalia, where they have been proposed for donkey carts.
Life-saving project
Nekundi defended the initiative as a necessary, cost-effective road-safety intervention.
“It is heartbreaking to witness the loss of so many economically active Namibians, leaving families in grief and hardship,” Nekundi said. “Road safety is a personal responsibility, and these reflectors are a significant step in reducing the preventable carnage on our roads.”
In response to some criticism over the project’s costs, the minister argued that the expenditure is modest compared with large-scale infrastructure such as overpasses or extensive road-reserve fencing, stressing that road safety should take precedence over political debate.
Ministry statistics show that cattle, donkeys and dogs account for the majority of animal-related crashes, with the three pilot regions responsible for more than 40% of recorded fatalities.
While the reflectors are intended to help motorists identify hazards earlier, Nekundi cautioned that technology alone would not solve the problem.
“All we need to do is drive while you are sober so that you can see the reflectors,” he said, urging motorists to obey speed limits and avoid driving under the influence. He added that the ministry expects full cooperation from stakeholders, including the National Road Safety Council.
As the festive season approaches, Nekundi appealed to road users to treat road safety as a shared moral obligation, calling on Namibians to ensure they return home safely in 2026.
[email protected]
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