Court allows Meat Board to join red line case

ELLANIE SMIT WINDHOEKThe High Court yesterday allowed the Meat Board of Namibia to join the controversial red line removal case as one of the respondents.The board warned that the removal of the red line could be catastrophic and have economic and employment ramifications.Judge Shafimana Ueitele ordered that the board be added during a case planning conference on the matter.The court case, in which Affirmative Repositioning (AR) activist Job Amupanda is demanding the removal of the veterinary cordon fence (VCF), was filed on 26 May, seeking a court order to have the fence removed and declared illegal and unconstitutional.He listed agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein, government, attorney-general Festus Mbandeka and an official of the directorate of veterinary services, Hango Nambinga, as defendants in the matter.However, the Meat Board recently filed a notice with the High Court, asking leave to intervene, or alternatively to be added as a fifth defendant.The case has been postponed to 5 October for a new case planning conference hearing and all parties must file a new joint case plan by 30 September. CatastrophicIn his founding affidavit, Meat Board CEO Paul Strydom the Namibian meat industry contributes approximately N$7.2 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and is a source of invaluable foreign currency and job creation.He said if Amupanda succeeds in his quest to have the VCF removed, the damage to the livestock industry would be catastrophic in that all livestock product export markets would be lost.He further warned that the removal of the fence would lead to all associated export facilities incurring serious financial difficulties, and that all efforts to improve the animal health status and develop market access north of the VCF would become null and void.In his claim, Amupanda insisted that the court order the agriculture ministry to remove the fence within 90 days.He further asked the court whether the red line was sanctioned by any laws, as he feels “such laws violate the dignity of Namibians, are discriminatory and unconstitutional”.Amupanda described the VCF as a brutal, shameful and draconian policy seeking to sustain discrimination of people residing north of the red line.

Court allows Meat Board to join red line case

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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Court allows Meat Board to join red line case

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-01

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