Donkey saga drags on
Two town councils face increasing public resistance to plans by Chinese companies to establish donkey abattoirs for exports to Asia.
The proposed donkey abattoir at Outjo is to be discussed at a special town council meeting next week.
Outjo mayor Marius Sheya yesterday said that the matter had not been discussed at Monday's council meeting as planned.
Instead, councillors would tackle the subject next week, though Sheya could not confirm the date.
To date, nearly 1 900 signatures have been added to a petition opposing the donkey abattoir that was submitted to the municipality earlier this month.
The objections, summarised by the newly formed Outjo Community Committee, would be discussed at next week's special council meeting, Sheya said.
The council announced in February that it had decided in principle to sell a plot to the Chinese company Fu Hai Trading for setting up a donkey abattoir.
The announcement unleashed widespread dismay and raised several questions, many of which remain unanswered.
Fu Hai Trading is not registered with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and its local partners are not listed in a sketchy business plan submitted to the Outjo municipality.
Critics have pointed out that the business plan is deeply flawed, lacking basic contact details and information on the proposed business.
There also has been no application for the export of donkey meat, hides or other by-products.
Sheya said he could not comment further on the matter, but a media briefing would be held after next week's meeting.
Okahandja Abattoir
In the meantime, petitioners say the Okahandja municipality should reconsider a donkey abattoir project that could cause environmental damage, unemployment and starvation.
At least 718 people from Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, European countries, the United Kingdom, South Korea, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the Dominican Republic, Israel, Afghanistan, Thailand, Iraq, Brazil and Peru have signed an online petition protesting the proposed donkey abattoir at Okahandja. The majority of the signatories are Namibians.
While the town's mayor, Johannes Hindjou, welcomed the initiative by a Chinese company, Agri-nature Investment Trade, the petitioners say the municipality should reconsider the project.
“They [the Chinese] are taking our beautiful country Namibia and our town Okahandja by storm.
We must prevent them [from] ruining our wildlife and our town,” said Okahandja resident Muller Theron.
The petitioners want proof from the municipality that there was a notice of the sale of Erf 780 on West Street, which is the plot on which Agri-nature Investment Trade plans to put up the abattoir.
The petitioners say there was no public notice that the plot was to be sold to another Chinese company, Everlasting Iron Sheet Investment. In fact, the plot was sold to Stina Wu's company, First Wall Property. Wu had earlier said that she was leasing the building to Agri-nature Investment Trade but emphasised that she had nothing to do with the proposed donkey abattoir.
The petitioners want to see proof that an export abattoir application was approved by the Directorate of Veterinary Services.
The petitioners further want to know whether an environmental impact study was done and demand to see its results. Moreover, they want to know if Namibians are to be employed at the abattoir and if the Chinese company will comply with the Labour Act.
More importantly, the petitioners are concerned about the amount of water an abattoir would need. They say it would take about 2 500 litres to slaughter one donkey. That would translate to 30 000 litres of water a day if the Chinese company wants to slaughter 120 donkeys a day.
They further want to know how the intended project is going to dispose of wastewater, expressing concern over possible pollution of groundwater sources.
“Where will they get the donkeys from?” the petitioners want to know.
“No meat product, alive or dead, may enter Namibia's borders for health reasons. Most of the donkeys are in regions that are not allowed to export live animals beyond certain points. Can you imagine if farms must be closed due to sickness that is carried by the donkeys? Chaos, starvation and unemployment will be the results of this,” they say.
CATHERINE SASMAN & JANA-MARI SMITH
Outjo mayor Marius Sheya yesterday said that the matter had not been discussed at Monday's council meeting as planned.
Instead, councillors would tackle the subject next week, though Sheya could not confirm the date.
To date, nearly 1 900 signatures have been added to a petition opposing the donkey abattoir that was submitted to the municipality earlier this month.
The objections, summarised by the newly formed Outjo Community Committee, would be discussed at next week's special council meeting, Sheya said.
The council announced in February that it had decided in principle to sell a plot to the Chinese company Fu Hai Trading for setting up a donkey abattoir.
The announcement unleashed widespread dismay and raised several questions, many of which remain unanswered.
Fu Hai Trading is not registered with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and its local partners are not listed in a sketchy business plan submitted to the Outjo municipality.
Critics have pointed out that the business plan is deeply flawed, lacking basic contact details and information on the proposed business.
There also has been no application for the export of donkey meat, hides or other by-products.
Sheya said he could not comment further on the matter, but a media briefing would be held after next week's meeting.
Okahandja Abattoir
In the meantime, petitioners say the Okahandja municipality should reconsider a donkey abattoir project that could cause environmental damage, unemployment and starvation.
At least 718 people from Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, European countries, the United Kingdom, South Korea, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the Dominican Republic, Israel, Afghanistan, Thailand, Iraq, Brazil and Peru have signed an online petition protesting the proposed donkey abattoir at Okahandja. The majority of the signatories are Namibians.
While the town's mayor, Johannes Hindjou, welcomed the initiative by a Chinese company, Agri-nature Investment Trade, the petitioners say the municipality should reconsider the project.
“They [the Chinese] are taking our beautiful country Namibia and our town Okahandja by storm.
We must prevent them [from] ruining our wildlife and our town,” said Okahandja resident Muller Theron.
The petitioners want proof from the municipality that there was a notice of the sale of Erf 780 on West Street, which is the plot on which Agri-nature Investment Trade plans to put up the abattoir.
The petitioners say there was no public notice that the plot was to be sold to another Chinese company, Everlasting Iron Sheet Investment. In fact, the plot was sold to Stina Wu's company, First Wall Property. Wu had earlier said that she was leasing the building to Agri-nature Investment Trade but emphasised that she had nothing to do with the proposed donkey abattoir.
The petitioners want to see proof that an export abattoir application was approved by the Directorate of Veterinary Services.
The petitioners further want to know whether an environmental impact study was done and demand to see its results. Moreover, they want to know if Namibians are to be employed at the abattoir and if the Chinese company will comply with the Labour Act.
More importantly, the petitioners are concerned about the amount of water an abattoir would need. They say it would take about 2 500 litres to slaughter one donkey. That would translate to 30 000 litres of water a day if the Chinese company wants to slaughter 120 donkeys a day.
They further want to know how the intended project is going to dispose of wastewater, expressing concern over possible pollution of groundwater sources.
“Where will they get the donkeys from?” the petitioners want to know.
“No meat product, alive or dead, may enter Namibia's borders for health reasons. Most of the donkeys are in regions that are not allowed to export live animals beyond certain points. Can you imagine if farms must be closed due to sickness that is carried by the donkeys? Chaos, starvation and unemployment will be the results of this,” they say.
CATHERINE SASMAN & JANA-MARI SMITH
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