Spitzkoppe has always been dry but the current drought has worsened the situation. The drops of rain the area used to receive have not fallen this year. Farmers in the area are bracing for a tough eight or so months before the next rainy season. It is a hopeless wait for a hapless people.
IT RAINED well at the Spitzkoppe “in those years”, but ever since independence, it has rained less, and it seems to have stopped altogether, Spitzkoppe communal farmer and traditional leader Benjamin Naruseb says.
Spitzkoppe is now a desert area, where about 500 people are trying to survive at the small settlement, situated at the foot of the Namibian landmark rock formation in the Erongo region.
Another 3 000 people are living in a 30-kilometre radius around the mountain situated between Usakos and Swakopmund, of which about 1 000 are communal farmers who have either stopped farming because their animals have died, or have left the area in search of grazing for those that remained.
“It’s not just a drought for the animals, but it is now affecting the people physically. The drought is like a disease. A healthy man can have a meal all the time, but when he gets sick, he eats less. This is what the drought is doing. It is causing people to eat less because there is nothing to eat. It is like a sickness of the land,” stressed Naruseb.
The community is concerned over the government’s drought food aid, where it only helps those who have a household income of N$2 600 or less. This is a problem for those households who have two pensioners who get state pensions of N$1 250 each, and support a foster child who gets N$300 from the state.
“The people – not just the farmers – are hungry. What will happen to them if they don’t get a bag of mealie meal? I can sell a goat, but what about them?” asked Naruseb, adding that food aid in general has not come to the Spitzkoppe yet.
As the drought decimates the community, it is also bringing with it poverty. No more animals means no more income.
That is why one of the few woman farmers of Spitzkoppe, Ergostine Tsowases, has to do other work to survive.
She had over 100 goats, but now she only has 10. Then, she could depend on the animals for an income, but now she is forced to make other plans.
She said the grass is gone and even the trees are bare, and the goats have to look for the little vegetation that is left in the dry river tributaries nearby. She is not sure if they will come back.
“I’m a cleaner here at Spitzkoppe now, so I get a little money. Otherwise, I have no support or anywhere to go. We appeal for help, but there is no help”, she lamented.
About 50 people are currently employed in the community – many of them in tourism-oriented businesses, such as the Spitzkoppe Lodge and another camp, while others are trying to eke out a living by selling gemstones mined from the mountains.
Naruseb is trying to take advantage of the tourism potential of the Spitzkoppe – more so now that communal farming prospects are fast dwindling with little hope of recovering. He, too, lost over 100 animals over the past two years.
There are also water problems due to no rain to replenish the groundwater, and the poor management and maintenance of infrastructure.
The water from NamWater is salty, and a filter is needed. Otherwise, the community has to depend on a private borehole – on a minimal basis.
“There are a few government boreholes, but most are dry, and some last for three minutes before they have to be left to resupply,” he explained.
There is also a water pipeline and tank, which Orano (then Areva), through its Trekkopje Mine nearby donated to the community. The community was encouraged to pay a few dollars for using the water so that there would be some cash to maintain the infrastructure, but they did not want to pay. Now, the supply line is broken, and there is no money to fix it.
He said the community’s appeal for government intervention is not because they want handouts, but because they expect the government to fulfil its promises to rural communities when it comes to development.
“They make hundreds of promises, but keep two out of every 100. This is why we are where we are. We have expectations, but there is no follow-up,” Naruseb charged.
Some young herders described the drought as the worst they can remember, and that things are made worse by water infrastructure being broken, and there being no work to generate an income to help members of the community.
They point to empty kraals, and say thousands of animals have died over the past four years. The animals eat porridge or chew tree barks.
“Something must happen fast, or else this community will not last,” one said.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
