Fear of donkey butchering spill-over

An international organisation that is devoted to the welfare of donkeys has expressed concern over the fact that Namibia is considering opening a donkey abattoir and that there may already be many donkeys illegally slaughtered in the country for export to China.This follows the recent outcry in South Africa during the past last few weeks where reports have been rampant about the illegal donkey skin trade. Reports have indicated that donkeys were bludgeoned with hammers and skinned alive on a South African farm, highlighting the illegal slaughter of the increasing numbers of the animals, whose hides are used in traditional medicine in China. The organisation Donkey Sanctuary, based in the United Kingdom, approached the Namibian Chamber of Environment with regards to the global, illegal donkey skin trade and the slaughter of these animals, and the fact that Namibia is considering opening donkey abattoir in Okahandja. Last year it was reported that local company Agrinature plans to set up a donkey meat abattoir at Okahandja. The company is owned by Namibian and Chinese investors.Agrinature said it intends to open an abattoir at Okahandja's northern industrial area for the slaughtering as well as processing of donkey meat.The chamber said that they will inform the nation should they take any steps to this effect. The Donkey Sanctuary also released the shocking findings of an investigation about the growing demand for 'ejiao', the traditional Chinese medicine made from donkey skin. In the first comprehensive study of the trade, the charity has discovered that donkey-dependent families and communities all round the world are finding their animals stolen and brutally slaughtered for their skins, with some reports suggesting animals are being skinned alive.The Donkey Sanctuary's 'Under the Skin' investigative report reveals that the trade has led to an explosion in the number of donkeys in Africa, Asia and South America being sourced, stolen and slaughtered for their skins which are then destined for China. In particular, illegal thefts have left entire donkey-dependent communities devastated and facing increased risk of poverty.According to the report, Africa's huge donkey population is a key target for the skin trade. “The recent history of cooperation between African governments and China -China funded the African Union building and there are numerous examples of national trade agreements - has contributed to making China sub-Saharan Africa's largest export and development partner.” In 2016 trade to China from sub-Saharan Africa represented approximately 25% of all trade, compared to just 2.3% in 1985. It says trade in donkey products appears to be widespread in many other African states, with reports of slaughter for skins and meat in Botswana, Namibia and Nigeria and suspicions of trade in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The report says between four and ten million donkeys will need to die every year in order to meet the demand for ejiao – a demand that is unsustainable, while simultaneously causing mass-scale suffering to donkeys and risking the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on them.ELLANIE SMIT

Fear of donkey butchering spill-over

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-15

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Fear of donkey butchering spill-over

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-15

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