Otji cracks down on roaming cattle with N$1 000 fines

Livestock owners in Otjiwarongo face fines of up to N$1 000 for allowing cattle to roam around town, while foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) movement restrictions complicate efforts to relocate the animals.

Otjiwarongo chief of traffic Lesley Kauatjoma told Namibian Sun yesterday that livestock owners had been instructed to keep their animals within their plots.

“We cannot force these people to take their animals back to wherever they come from because there is a restriction of movement,” he said.

Kauatjoma said owners would be fined N$1 000 if their livestock were found roaming on enclosed public roads and N$750 if they were found in streets or residential areas.

“They know that they must keep their animals within their boundaries,” he said.

Two livestock owners have already been fined, while municipal traffic officials are conducting morning and afternoon patrols to identify roaming animals and instruct their owners to contain them.

Kauatjoma said the municipality could not simply impound the cattle because veterinary officials had advised against bringing animals from different areas together, warning that this could increase the risk of disease transmission.

“We do not have a camp currently where we can put all these animals,” he said.

Previous warnings ignored

The latest enforcement measures follow continued reports of unattended cattle around Otjiwarongo despite a municipal notice issued on 28 September prohibiting livestock from roaming, grazing or remaining unattended within town boundaries.

The municipality had also announced an impoundment charge of N$367.60 per animal per day.

On 21 October, Namibian Sun reported concerns about approximately 80 cattle roaming in three groups near residential plots, the Cenored substation and Kaap Agri.

Kauatjoma said some animals carried ear tags that could help authorities identify their owners and registered locations. However, he questioned whether all livestock being kept on town plots had the necessary movement documentation and whether the animals were being kept in legally permitted areas.

He said the municipality needed to consult veterinary services and the agriculture ministry to establish how livestock movement regulations should be enforced under the current FMD restrictions.

Farmers worried

Otjiwarongo businessman and farmer Mark Mücke told Namibian Sun last week that uncontrolled livestock movement on the townlands was putting farmers and their animals at risk.

“There are two types. The one is the illegal one, and the other one is someone who is renting a plot from the municipality. But the municipality itself has got no control, no idea what is going on here,” Mücke claimed.

He said roaming cattle were entering private properties, forcing some farmers to hire private security to protect their livestock. Mücke also reported losing 10 cattle to theft this year.

He warned that allowing animals to move freely could undermine efforts to contain FMD.

“We have to keep our animals, we cannot sell our animals, we cannot slaughter,” he said, referring to the restrictions affecting farmers.

Mücke called for consistent enforcement of livestock regulations, saying farmers who complied with movement restrictions should not be disadvantaged by those who allowed their animals to roam freely or kept livestock outside the rules.

[email protected]