Illegal grazing a threat to San
Not only is the ongoing problem of illegal cattle grazing threatening the livelihood of the San community in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy, there are also fears that cattle may spread diseases to wildlife.
Chief of the Ju/'hoansi San, Bobo Tsamkxao, spoke to Namibian Sun about the frustration his community has experienced over the past 11 years due to illegal grazing.
The establishment of the Nyae Nyae Conservancy enabled the Ju/'hoansi San to return to their communal villages outside of Tsumkwe where traditional hunting and gathering is still a daily occurrence.
According to Tsamkxao (78), the major culprits are Gam farmers and their families, who illegally invaded the Nyae Nyae Conservancy several years ago with their cattle. Even though they were ordered by government to move, they have remained and are now posing a threat to the San community's survival.
In 2013, government was ordered to pay N$3 245 690 to a group of 32 farmers from the Gam area in the Otjozondjupa Region as compensation for confiscated cattle after the animals had crossed a veterinary disease control fence and entered the Nyae Nyae Conservancy in April 2009.
It was reported that the farmers were arrested for moving 1 210 cattle, 16 sheep, 45 goats, 19 horses and 28 donkeys illegally through the fence.
According to Tsamkxao, while they were compensated for their cattle at Tsumkwe, the farmers bought new animals and refused to move.
In 2018, government obtained a court order to remove the remaining farmers, but they refused.
Tsamkxao said although they have repeatedly reported the situation to the police and environment ministry, nothing has been done to assist them.
He said the cattle, estimated at more than 200, trample the devil's claw the community sells for an income.
The harvesting and sale of devil's claw in both the Nyae Nyae Conservancy and Community Forest and the N#a Jaqna Conservancy and Community Forest offers a substantial supplementary income for members who undertake this activity.
During the 2019 harvesting season, members from both conservancies and community forests supplied just over 20 tons of dried devil's claw. This generated direct income of just over N$1 million for about 500 harvesters.
In many cases, this is one of the only sources of income for members.
“The benefits to the community are being destroyed,” said Tsamkxao. He added that because the San are hunters and gatherers, they depend on things like berries for food, which are being cut down by cattle farmers.
A further concern was that they do not know where these cattle come from and whether they have illnesses such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). A specific concern for the conservancy is that these cattle can spread FMD to disease-free buffalo kept in a camp at the conservancy.
“We are concerned that it is not only the Gam farmers, but others who are also entering,” he said.
“I do not have the right to tell them to leave the town, but they are in the conservancy. For us this is a huge problem. If they destroy this place, there will be nothing left for the San community. I have talked so many times and nothing is happening.”
The only way things will improve is if government steps in, Tsamkxao said.
“All of us are Namibians, but you cannot just come and settle on someone's land. You cannot go and build your business where someone else's business is. You have to ask before you do something.”
Tsamkxao added that the environment ministry must start doing patrols because the veterinary fence between Gam and Tsumkwe has been cut down.
ELLANIE SMIT
Chief of the Ju/'hoansi San, Bobo Tsamkxao, spoke to Namibian Sun about the frustration his community has experienced over the past 11 years due to illegal grazing.
The establishment of the Nyae Nyae Conservancy enabled the Ju/'hoansi San to return to their communal villages outside of Tsumkwe where traditional hunting and gathering is still a daily occurrence.
According to Tsamkxao (78), the major culprits are Gam farmers and their families, who illegally invaded the Nyae Nyae Conservancy several years ago with their cattle. Even though they were ordered by government to move, they have remained and are now posing a threat to the San community's survival.
In 2013, government was ordered to pay N$3 245 690 to a group of 32 farmers from the Gam area in the Otjozondjupa Region as compensation for confiscated cattle after the animals had crossed a veterinary disease control fence and entered the Nyae Nyae Conservancy in April 2009.
It was reported that the farmers were arrested for moving 1 210 cattle, 16 sheep, 45 goats, 19 horses and 28 donkeys illegally through the fence.
According to Tsamkxao, while they were compensated for their cattle at Tsumkwe, the farmers bought new animals and refused to move.
In 2018, government obtained a court order to remove the remaining farmers, but they refused.
Tsamkxao said although they have repeatedly reported the situation to the police and environment ministry, nothing has been done to assist them.
He said the cattle, estimated at more than 200, trample the devil's claw the community sells for an income.
The harvesting and sale of devil's claw in both the Nyae Nyae Conservancy and Community Forest and the N#a Jaqna Conservancy and Community Forest offers a substantial supplementary income for members who undertake this activity.
During the 2019 harvesting season, members from both conservancies and community forests supplied just over 20 tons of dried devil's claw. This generated direct income of just over N$1 million for about 500 harvesters.
In many cases, this is one of the only sources of income for members.
“The benefits to the community are being destroyed,” said Tsamkxao. He added that because the San are hunters and gatherers, they depend on things like berries for food, which are being cut down by cattle farmers.
A further concern was that they do not know where these cattle come from and whether they have illnesses such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). A specific concern for the conservancy is that these cattle can spread FMD to disease-free buffalo kept in a camp at the conservancy.
“We are concerned that it is not only the Gam farmers, but others who are also entering,” he said.
“I do not have the right to tell them to leave the town, but they are in the conservancy. For us this is a huge problem. If they destroy this place, there will be nothing left for the San community. I have talked so many times and nothing is happening.”
The only way things will improve is if government steps in, Tsamkxao said.
“All of us are Namibians, but you cannot just come and settle on someone's land. You cannot go and build your business where someone else's business is. You have to ask before you do something.”
Tsamkxao added that the environment ministry must start doing patrols because the veterinary fence between Gam and Tsumkwe has been cut down.
ELLANIE SMIT
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