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Friday, January 25, 2008 - Web posted at 9:16:51 GMT Ovitoto dispute still simmering BRIGITTE WEIDLICHILLEGAL grazing on a farm near Okahandja continues - most of the cattle driven there from the Ovitoto reserve, which should have been removed last week, are still there. |
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About 29 families live on Okandjira farm, which they received as a donation and retrenchment option from the Ohlthaver & List group last year. The 200 people own Okandjira as members of a special trust that was created for them. The farm borders on Ovitoto, an enclave where Herero farmers have been living for decades. The Okandjira community claims that people from Ovitoto have cut border fences and sold the stolen fence material in order to let their cattle graze illegally on their land. Several charges of theft and one of trespassing on private land have been laid. Headman Cornelius Hamaseb, who leads the Okandjira community, was not available for comment yesterday but a member of his family said most of the 150 Herero cattle were still there. "We do not know what will happen next. Last Thursday the cattle were supposed to be removed with the help of the Ovitoto Police," the person, who did not want her name mentioned, told The Namibian. Matters almost got out of hand when Herero farmers drove to Okandjira armed with kieries and assegais over the festive season and intimidated the mostly Damara-speaking owners of that farm. It was alleged that the Hereros claimed the land was historically theirs and that they were unhappy that Ohlthaver & List did not give some portions of the farm to them. Several meetings were held with the help of the Police to solve the dispute. "The problem is with the young Herero speakers, they do not listen to the chiefs anymore," an Ovitoto resident told The Namibian yesterday, speaking on condition of anonymity. |
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