Hunters struggle with permits

Although Namibia's hunting seasons has been open for nearly a month, the industry has been unable to get hold of hunting permits in the regions as these have only been available in Windhoek.

The hunting industry and farmers say this has not only had an impact on them and caused severe inconvenience, but also criticised the environment ministry for its lack of communication and feedback on the current situation.

What the ministry yesterday described as internal issues and a hiccup in the process, was actually the cause of the ministry not submitting the opening of the hunting season for publishing in the Government Gazette on time.

The hunting permits could therefore not be issued at regional offices.

This is despite the fact that an advertisement was taken out by the ministry in April already regarding the opening of the hunting season and that it traditionally opens on 1 May every year.

The executive manager of the Namibia Agricultural Union, Sakkie Coetzee, yesterday described this as total red tape and an inconvenience to farm owners, who now have to travel to Windhoek to obtain these permits.

Coetzee confirmed that it is currently only the head office in Windhoek where hunting permits are being issued and said that traditionally the hunting season is open from 1 May.

Hunters book at hunting and game farms from the start of the month and now they are unable to get permits in the regions.





According to NAU it already sent a letter to the ministry's permanent secretary, Malan Lindeque, on April 20 this year with regard to the opening of the hunting season and issuing of permits in the regions. Lindeque yesterday confirmed that the opening of the hunting season had not yet been gazetted.

The union however said that by last week the regional offices of the ministry were still not authorised to issue hunting permits as the hunting season had not yet been published in the Government Gazette.

It said that the union had strongly objected to this oversight in a letter to the ministry.

The CEO of the Namibia Professional Hunting Union (Napha), Tanja Dahl, told Namibian Sun that the situation was definitely having an impact on the industry.

According to her the submission to include the hunting season in the Government Gazette was made too late by the ministry and therefore the regions are not able to issue hunting permits.

She says even though Napha approached the ministry last week about the current situation, they have not received any feedback or update.

What they were told last week is that regions will be able to distribute hunting permits by 1 June. “We are hopeful but we do not even know if this will happen.”

She could also not explain why, if the hunting season was not gazetted, permits could be obtained in Windhoek and not at other offices.

“It definitely has an impact on the industry, but it is uncertain how many people have been affected by this.”

She stressed that the ministry needs to provide proper feedback about the situation as it has been a month ant they are still not sure on what is going on and why this happened.

Approached for comment the spokesperson of the ministry, Romeo Muyunda, confirmed that the opening of the season was advertised in April.

He explained that there was a hiccup in the process which the ministry was not willing to discuss.

According to him the ministry will issue a directive that regions should start issuing hunting permits and stressed that the hunting season is officially open.

He referred further questions to Colgar Sikopo, the director of parks and wildlife management, who said that there were internal issues that needed to be resolved, adding that everything was back on track.

He said because of the internal issue the ministry did not want to cause a delay in the hunting season and therefore decided to issue the permits at a central point.

Sikopo did not want to elaborate on what these internal issues were.

“For now everything has been resolved and regional offices have been instructed to issue hunting permits.”

He said that this instruction has already been given through last week, but there may be some who have not received the memo and therefore hunting permits would be available form this week at regional offices.

He apologised for the inconvenience caused to farmers and hunters.

The ministry recently issued a statement announcing that this year's hunting season will last until the end of August for farms of more than 1 000 hectares enclosed with game-proof fences.

During this period the public will be allowed to hunt certain species of game on a private commercial farm or registered conservancy. On farms of more than 1 000 hectares and enclosed by a normal livestock fence, or on specific registered conservancies where quotas have been approved, hunting may take place between 1 June and 31 July.

“Farmers need to obtain hunting permits at the regional offices for hunters who wish to hunt at the invitation of a farm owner,” it said.





ELLANIE SMIT