Permit required for grass harvesting at Ongandjera

The Ongandjera Traditional Authority said it will issue fines to those found harvesting grass in grazing lands without permits.
This was announced by traditional authority spokesperson Sakeus Shangula on Monday.

Shangula said the authority has noted people harvesting grass for sale in areas meant for animal grazing.

“We are not talking about the grass that grows in the fenced areas, but grass that grows in the forest or grazing land. People have been seen carrying this grass and transporting it to their villages, which is not allowed,” Shangula said.

According to Shangula, those caught with grass harvested without proper documentation will be fined N$2 500, and the grass will be confiscated.

“This law has been there since 2015. It is not new. I believe it was not just well known, but we keep repeating it so that the public can know,” he said.

Culturally, grass is only harvested when it is dry, said Shangula.

However, in this case, people are harvesting fresh grass.

“These people go with spades and hoes to harvest grass. They remove the grass with its stem leaving no seeds behind because the grass is still fresh,” he said.

Traditional authorities are mandated by the government to take care of the environment, he said.

“We are doing this in the best interest of the public. We are trying to protect the environment because if you harvest all the grass, where will the animals graze?”

Shangula said the traditional authority would also fine those found illegally cutting down trees.

“However, the cutting down of trees is dealt with by the forestry ministry. You need to go and apply at the ministry for permission to cut wood,” he said.

Speaking on the same issue, Oukwanyama Traditional Authority spokesperson Andrew Naikaku said the matter is handled differently in their authority.

Naikaku said the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority has many oshanas where grass grows, with less grass growing in the forest.

“We do not give permits for people to harvest grass in Oukwanyama. The grass that grows in the oshanas is harvested by residents who are close to that pan. They wait until the grass is dry before harvesting it,” he said.

In terms of the cutting of trees, the traditional authority gives permission to the applicants, however, a permit from the ministry of environment is required.

“The permit that we give is only at the level of the traditional authority. The applicants pay a fee before being given the go-ahead,” he said.

Ondonga Traditional Authority spokesperson Frans Enkali said those who wish to harvest grass request permission from their headmen.

They do not have grass in their forests, and permission to harvest grass is granted by the headmen, Enkali said.

“Traditional authorities asking for permits are not wrong. They are doing that to protect the environment. However, this is done differently in every traditional authority,” Enkali said.

Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said harvesting grass for domestic use is allowed and does not require a permit.

However, Muyunda said if grass is harvested for commercial use, a permit is needed.

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.