SA landowner strips four farms of game
After offering four farms for sale to government, the South African owner is said to be harvesting all the game, some allegedly illegally, on the land.
Farmers in the area of Steinhausen are in uproar because their South African neighbour plundered the natural resources on several farms he owns after offering the properties for sale to government.
The South African owner of farms Riverside, Joyce, Heatherbelle and a part of Tweeling in the Steinhausen district, has illegally been live-capturing game on his land for the purposes of sale.
Charges have been made at the Gobabis police against the farm owner, farm manager and also the game capturing company.
The main charge against the accused are the illegal capturing of game, however with investigations into the case continuing more charges may be added and others may also be charged.
Farm owners in the district are also preparing a civil suit against their South African neighbour to make sure he does not walk off scot-free.
The incident stems from middle July this year when neighbours became aware that of a lot of activity taking was place on the farm units belonging to the South African national.
Game capturing trucks as well as a helicopter were spotted on the farms, while trucks were seen transporting loads of carcasses and meat.
The news soon spread that live capturing, night harvesting and the culling of game were taking place on the farms that have been offered to lands ministry for sale.
Although the owner has a permit for the shooting and selling of game, he does not have a permit for the capture of live animals on the farms.
The allegations are furthermore that the permit for 'shoot and sell' was also exceeded by reusing it over and over again.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism confirmed that they have been informed about the incident and that investigations are continuing.
According to the permanent secretary Dr Malan Lindeque, the South African farm owner, the farm manager and the game capturing company have been all been charged.
The ministry confirmed that preliminary investigations have indicated that live game was captured by a registered game dealer known to Namibian Sun without a capturing permit.
Investigations will also determine who authorised the capture of the game, the owner or farm manager, or both.
The farm unit has a valid permit for the shooting and selling of 150 oryx and red hartebeest which has been withdrawn because some animals were live-captured. Investigations are underway to determine whether numbers were exceeded as alleged.
“Once all the facts have been established, our laws are clear and we will follow the law to the letter to make sure the wrongdoers are appropriately dealt with,” Lindeque said.
While species such as springbok and oryx were involved in these illegal activities, the ministry pointed out that makes it worse are the fact that the protected species were also captured.
This, Lindeque says, will make penalties much harsher under the new wildlife crime laws that were recently passed by parliament.
Farmers from the Steinhausen district told Namibian Sun that huge quantities of game were apparently involved in the live game capturing.
Sources say that the farm manager has allegedly admitted to the live capture of 185 animals, however investigations are still on-going.
Sources also claim that the permit for shoot-and-sell was being reused over and over again. Apparently trucks with loads of carcasses and meat were being transported to a local meat supplying company in Okahandja.
Another concern raised by farmers in the area is the fact that the farms owned by the South African have been registered as having game-proof fences, but it only has normal livestock fences on the farms.
Meanwhile farmers are in the process of also making a civil case against the owner of the farm.
“The fact that the farms have been offered for government for sale and natural resources are being plundered on these farms before being sold, is of grave concern. When the new owners come in there will be no more game left, which is in the current climate more important than cattle.”
Farmers Namibian Sun spoke to from the area said that they are worried that the young farm manager will be persuaded to take the blame for the entire ordeal and that the owner will walk away scot free.
According to the ministry the investigation team is currently on the ground gathering further information.
The Deputy Commissioner of the Omaheke police, Marcellus Maritshane confirmed the charges and said that no arrests have been made yet.
ELLANIE SMIT
The South African owner of farms Riverside, Joyce, Heatherbelle and a part of Tweeling in the Steinhausen district, has illegally been live-capturing game on his land for the purposes of sale.
Charges have been made at the Gobabis police against the farm owner, farm manager and also the game capturing company.
The main charge against the accused are the illegal capturing of game, however with investigations into the case continuing more charges may be added and others may also be charged.
Farm owners in the district are also preparing a civil suit against their South African neighbour to make sure he does not walk off scot-free.
The incident stems from middle July this year when neighbours became aware that of a lot of activity taking was place on the farm units belonging to the South African national.
Game capturing trucks as well as a helicopter were spotted on the farms, while trucks were seen transporting loads of carcasses and meat.
The news soon spread that live capturing, night harvesting and the culling of game were taking place on the farms that have been offered to lands ministry for sale.
Although the owner has a permit for the shooting and selling of game, he does not have a permit for the capture of live animals on the farms.
The allegations are furthermore that the permit for 'shoot and sell' was also exceeded by reusing it over and over again.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism confirmed that they have been informed about the incident and that investigations are continuing.
According to the permanent secretary Dr Malan Lindeque, the South African farm owner, the farm manager and the game capturing company have been all been charged.
The ministry confirmed that preliminary investigations have indicated that live game was captured by a registered game dealer known to Namibian Sun without a capturing permit.
Investigations will also determine who authorised the capture of the game, the owner or farm manager, or both.
The farm unit has a valid permit for the shooting and selling of 150 oryx and red hartebeest which has been withdrawn because some animals were live-captured. Investigations are underway to determine whether numbers were exceeded as alleged.
“Once all the facts have been established, our laws are clear and we will follow the law to the letter to make sure the wrongdoers are appropriately dealt with,” Lindeque said.
While species such as springbok and oryx were involved in these illegal activities, the ministry pointed out that makes it worse are the fact that the protected species were also captured.
This, Lindeque says, will make penalties much harsher under the new wildlife crime laws that were recently passed by parliament.
Farmers from the Steinhausen district told Namibian Sun that huge quantities of game were apparently involved in the live game capturing.
Sources say that the farm manager has allegedly admitted to the live capture of 185 animals, however investigations are still on-going.
Sources also claim that the permit for shoot-and-sell was being reused over and over again. Apparently trucks with loads of carcasses and meat were being transported to a local meat supplying company in Okahandja.
Another concern raised by farmers in the area is the fact that the farms owned by the South African have been registered as having game-proof fences, but it only has normal livestock fences on the farms.
Meanwhile farmers are in the process of also making a civil case against the owner of the farm.
“The fact that the farms have been offered for government for sale and natural resources are being plundered on these farms before being sold, is of grave concern. When the new owners come in there will be no more game left, which is in the current climate more important than cattle.”
Farmers Namibian Sun spoke to from the area said that they are worried that the young farm manager will be persuaded to take the blame for the entire ordeal and that the owner will walk away scot free.
According to the ministry the investigation team is currently on the ground gathering further information.
The Deputy Commissioner of the Omaheke police, Marcellus Maritshane confirmed the charges and said that no arrests have been made yet.
ELLANIE SMIT
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