Farmers feel alone, frustrated in battle against poachers

About two weeks ago, a 68-year-old farmer in the Otjimbingwe area in the Erongo region found the remains of five blue wildebeest on his land, valued at about N$50 000.His fence had been cut and tyre tracks showed where a vehicle drove in and out.The animals were shot, butchered and their parts removed, leaving only heads, legs and some meat behind.“Blue wildebeest are protected, and I gave no one permission to cut my fence or hunt on my farm. I want a police investigation and prosecution,” he told the police.But farmers in the area say they expect little action.A Naukluft farmer, who has dealt with repeated poaching incidents, said police assistance is inconsistent.“If it’s fresh, you might get a response, but often a case is just opened and left,” he claimed. “Unless you catch someone with the meat, it’s almost impossible to prove anything. It’s frustrating for farmers and for police.”He added that another frustrating aspect of persistent poaching is that suspects are repeatedly arrested and then released.“They get bail again and again. Some have more than 20 cases open and still get bail," he claimed."That’s a serious problem in the justice system. We have laws, but offenders keep walking out and committing more crimes.”He warned that some poachers have become aggressive.“People have fired at police and used spikes on the road. That’s no longer just poaching – that’s attempted murder. But for poaching alone, they rarely stay behind bars,” he said. “Most cases later fall apart for lack of evidence.”“There’s no signal in much of the Naukluft. To use cameras, you’d need your own communication system, which is too expensive,” he added. “Still, we report – it’s all we can do.”Limited surveillanceKaribib Farmers’ Association chairperson Fanus Labuschagne said his fence was recently cut and three bulls driven out.“Fence cutting happens often, and police support is rare – mostly because they don’t have vehicles,” he said.He said repeated bail for known offenders has eroded trust in the justice system.“I had four cases with full proof, and all were eventually closed,” he said.Labuschagne added that game in the Namib-Naukluft has dropped to about 10% of previous levels, according to his knowledge, and added that organised groups are targeting entire breeding herds.Namibian Agricultural Union Windhoek region chairperson, Hennie Brisley, compiled a list of poaching cases across the Naukluft, C28, C26 and western areas. He said the cases appear linked to a single syndicate and were submitted to prosecutors and crime-prevention forums.He said the list spans two decades, linking one suspect to about a dozen live dockets, a few convictions and many additional incidents involving wildlife crime, livestock theft and firearms. Associates are linked to drug and violent cases, the data indicates. The network operates along the Windhoek–Rehoboth–Sesriem corridor and the Swakopmund–Walvis Bay–Karibib strip, with spill-over into surrounding districts, the list shows. “Some of them have escalated to violence. Farmers have been attacked, and police have been shot at,” Brisley said.Profitable crimeBrisley said evidence challenges pose a major obstacle.“Scenes are usually found days later, so very few cases have enough evidence to prosecute,” he explained, adding that low fines and low priority leave offenders undeterred. “The animals are worth more than the fines, so the crime stays profitable.”Moreover, poor municipal oversight allows illegal meat to enter formal butcheries, while informal markets (kapana) absorb the rest, he noted.Cash-based tourist vehicle rentals make tracing suspects difficult.Brisley said farming groups asked senior police officials for a coordinated approach from 2023 to 2025, but results have been limited. Farmers describe the justice system as outdated and understaffed.Brisley said even bail hearings sometimes proceed without notifying investigating officers.“Bail gets granted even when dockets recommend against it,” he said.He added that farmers and neighbourhood watch members have been threatened.“I was attacked shortly after giving evidence in court,” he said.Farmers now fund their own crime-prevention efforts, from cameras to fuel for patrols. “We aren’t trained to apprehend dangerous people, and it puts our lives at risk. With so few officers in rural stations, pursuing and investigating these crimes is extremely difficult,” Brisley said.Staggering statisticsJustice ministry spokesperson Victoria Hango said statistics from magistrate cases related to poaching cannot be provided because the system does not record cases in that format.“The prosecutor-general's office may be able to assist,” she said.Environment ministry spokesperson Vihlo Hangula said between January 2024 and April this year, 237 pangolins were poached in Otjimbingue, four zebras and six oryx in the Nauchas area, three oryx and one mountain zebra in Karibib, three oryx in Walvis Bay, nine oryx in Sesriem, one leopard in Otjomuise and two ostriches in Mondesa.Statistics on livestock-related poaching cases were not available at the time of going to print.

Farmers feel alone, frustrated in battle against poachers

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Namibian Sun 2026-04-28

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Farmers feel alone, frustrated in battle against poachers

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Namibian Sun 2026-04-28

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