Appeal board to decide on Erindi buffalo
A board of veterinary experts will consider the private game reserve's appeal against the government's refusal to let it keep buffalo.
Erindi Private Game Reserve has appealed a government decision denying it permission to introduce buffalo from Waterberg and becoming the first 'big five' game reserve in Namibia.
Agriculture minister John Mutorwa appointed an appeal board consisting of industry experts on 21 September.
The board, which was publicly introduced on Monday, is headed by lawyer Vetu Uanivi and it will specifically deal with a 15-page document submitted by Erindi through its legal representative Sisa Namandje on 16 August, expressing dissatisfaction with the ministry's decision.
The other board members are Dr Archie Norval, Dr Albertina Shilongo, Dr Alaster Samakange and Dr Anja Boshoff.
Mutorwa, when announcing the board, said because of the public interest in the matter there should not be any speculation about the appointment of the members or that there was any influence from the minister.
He made it clear that the meeting was not called to secretly plot, discuss or impose any strategy with the board, but to publicly inform and clarify to the board the nature of their assignment.
Giving some background leading up to the appeal, Mutorwa said he was contacted by Namandje on behalf of Erindi on 27 July requesting an urgent meeting for the following morning.
“I accepted the request and scheduled the meeting accordingly for 28 July at 10:00 in the ministry's boardroom.”
Mutorwa said he further contacted the chief veterinary officer, Dr Milton Masheke, and other public officials to attend the meeting.
“We met here and 16 people were present.”
He said after the meeting a flurry of letters addressed to him followed via Erindi's lawyers.
These letters requested for Erindi to be allowed permission to acquire buffalo from Waterberg.
The environment ministry recently advertised the sale of live buffalo from Waterberg and invited interested parties to submit tenders.
The advertisement said the ministry has a population of disease-free, high-value buffaloes with good genetics on the Waterberg Plateau Park.
Currently, there is overpopulation of buffalo at Waterberg and grazing is under pressure due to drought.
For this reason the government has put to tender the sale of buffalo to reduce the population. There are currently about 1 000 buffalo based in Waterberg while there is only capacity for 400 and therefore the environment ministry advertised to sell the excess animals.
Following this advertisement, Erindi requested the agriculture ministry's permission.
Mutorwa said the ministry on 14 August communicated its final position to Erindi regarding its request to be allowed buffalo from Waterberg.
The ministry denied the request because the total commercial area in Namibia has been proclaimed as a protected area in 2013, which aims to prevent the introduction and spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the FMD-free zone of the country.
The Waterberg Plateau Park however is excluded from this proclamation. Buffalo are the carriers of inter alia FMD, although the buffalo of the Waterberg are classified as disease-free.
The ministry also informed Erindi that all trade agreements for the export of meat are based on the fact that there are no buffalo in the commercial area.
Agricultural permanent secretary Percy Misika recently told Namibian Sun that the ministry does not allow African buffalo outside proclaimed national parks, and therefore buffalo can only be sold for export purposes.
According to him, this is in line with the Animal Health Act 1 of 2011.
According to Mutorwa, following the ministry's final decision, Erindi lodged its complaint in the form of a 15-page document urging that section 31 of the Animal Health Act should be invoked and an appeal board be appointed to handle the matter further.
“We do not have a problem with that. If someone is not happy with a decision, this is a democratic country and they can seek relief.”
Mutorwa said that Erindi specifically pointed out that they were unsatisfied with the decision taken by Masheke.
“It is for this reason that Masheke is not attending this meeting, to ensure transparency.”
ELLANIE SMIT
Agriculture minister John Mutorwa appointed an appeal board consisting of industry experts on 21 September.
The board, which was publicly introduced on Monday, is headed by lawyer Vetu Uanivi and it will specifically deal with a 15-page document submitted by Erindi through its legal representative Sisa Namandje on 16 August, expressing dissatisfaction with the ministry's decision.
The other board members are Dr Archie Norval, Dr Albertina Shilongo, Dr Alaster Samakange and Dr Anja Boshoff.
Mutorwa, when announcing the board, said because of the public interest in the matter there should not be any speculation about the appointment of the members or that there was any influence from the minister.
He made it clear that the meeting was not called to secretly plot, discuss or impose any strategy with the board, but to publicly inform and clarify to the board the nature of their assignment.
Giving some background leading up to the appeal, Mutorwa said he was contacted by Namandje on behalf of Erindi on 27 July requesting an urgent meeting for the following morning.
“I accepted the request and scheduled the meeting accordingly for 28 July at 10:00 in the ministry's boardroom.”
Mutorwa said he further contacted the chief veterinary officer, Dr Milton Masheke, and other public officials to attend the meeting.
“We met here and 16 people were present.”
He said after the meeting a flurry of letters addressed to him followed via Erindi's lawyers.
These letters requested for Erindi to be allowed permission to acquire buffalo from Waterberg.
The environment ministry recently advertised the sale of live buffalo from Waterberg and invited interested parties to submit tenders.
The advertisement said the ministry has a population of disease-free, high-value buffaloes with good genetics on the Waterberg Plateau Park.
Currently, there is overpopulation of buffalo at Waterberg and grazing is under pressure due to drought.
For this reason the government has put to tender the sale of buffalo to reduce the population. There are currently about 1 000 buffalo based in Waterberg while there is only capacity for 400 and therefore the environment ministry advertised to sell the excess animals.
Following this advertisement, Erindi requested the agriculture ministry's permission.
Mutorwa said the ministry on 14 August communicated its final position to Erindi regarding its request to be allowed buffalo from Waterberg.
The ministry denied the request because the total commercial area in Namibia has been proclaimed as a protected area in 2013, which aims to prevent the introduction and spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the FMD-free zone of the country.
The Waterberg Plateau Park however is excluded from this proclamation. Buffalo are the carriers of inter alia FMD, although the buffalo of the Waterberg are classified as disease-free.
The ministry also informed Erindi that all trade agreements for the export of meat are based on the fact that there are no buffalo in the commercial area.
Agricultural permanent secretary Percy Misika recently told Namibian Sun that the ministry does not allow African buffalo outside proclaimed national parks, and therefore buffalo can only be sold for export purposes.
According to him, this is in line with the Animal Health Act 1 of 2011.
According to Mutorwa, following the ministry's final decision, Erindi lodged its complaint in the form of a 15-page document urging that section 31 of the Animal Health Act should be invoked and an appeal board be appointed to handle the matter further.
“We do not have a problem with that. If someone is not happy with a decision, this is a democratic country and they can seek relief.”
Mutorwa said that Erindi specifically pointed out that they were unsatisfied with the decision taken by Masheke.
“It is for this reason that Masheke is not attending this meeting, to ensure transparency.”
ELLANIE SMIT
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