The redline issue has been one of the biggest talking points on social media, with Namibian users divided on whether the fence should remain or be removed. But what emerges from these debates is truly alarming. 

These intense debates reveal that Namibia is a nation divided by the redline. Its ongoing presence has not only created an economic divide, but has also deepened the resentment between Namibians living north and south of the fence.

In most instances, the social media debate degenerates into tribalism and regionalism, calling into question our sense of national unity.

Those in the south, including communal farmers, reject the call to remove the redline. They argue that such a move would devastate the meat industry and jeopardise beef exports, including to the European Union. 

Many have gone further, openly expressing their disdain for those in the north, claiming their livestock are unworthy, disease-ridden, and reliant on plastics and scraps for survival. They further assert that farmers in those areas lack knowledge about animal health, and do not vaccinate their livestock.

Conversely, others asserted that the redline is merely a colonial relic that marginalises them. They believe that the continued presence of the fence is designed to exclude farmers in the northern areas from accessing the lucrative beef industry on the other side. 

They believe that the struggle to maintain the redline is motivated by a fear of fair competition, especially given that there are more cattle in the northern areas than in those south of the fence. 

Additionally, they have raised concerns about restrictions that prevent them from transporting uncooked meat from the north to the south for household consumption.

They also claim that only isolated areas still report outbreaks of diseases like FMD. Additionally, they emphasised that the government has developed the capacity to manage such outbreaks due to significant investments in veterinary services in the in northern communal areas.

The Directorate of Veterinary Services provides essential services through disease surveillance and regular vaccination campaigns across rural Namibia. Veterinary officials are working with traditional leaders to educate farmers on the importance of livestock health.

Therefore, it is shameful to witness Namibians being pitted against one another by a colonial instrument. This highlights that the redline represents more than just a veterinary measure. 

The redline is a lasting legacy of segregation imposed by the South African colonial authorities. People coming from the north of the fence say they still experience the harsh realities of the colonial past, such as having their luggage searched and meat confiscated at the numerous veterinary checkpoints.

The veterinary cordon fence, known as the redline, is currently the subject of public debate following a legal challenge by academic and politician Job Amupanda. 

He is questioning the legality of the redline in the High Court in Windhoek. The veterinary cordon fence was initially established by the colonial authorities for the purpose of controlling animal diseases. 

The northern part was deemed an epicentre of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and lung sickness, underscoring the necessity to safeguard commercial livestock farming south of the fence.

Thirty-five years into independence, the redline remained solidly in place. Politicians and technocrats continue to justify their reluctance to dismantle the redline by pointing to strict regulations for international trade and disease prevention. 

Amupanda argues that the fence has no place in independent Namibia. He claims that the structure has become a colonial tool, used as a convenient excuse to maintain a system that protects the commercial interests of a small group at the expense of the majority.

He can do his best in court, despite the strong opposition from some of the influential commercial farmers in the country. However, this matter requires strong political will to be resolved.  It requires intentional actions from the government to devise new measures that ensure a balance between economic equality and the need to control animal diseases.  Namibia already has a strong surveillance system, which may only require improvements and additional capacity in areas where it is lacking. Veterinary officials across Namibia work in collaboration with traditional authorities and farmers to detect and contain diseases. 

It is merely a matter of the government collaborating with foreign partners, such as the European Union, to establish new systems that will enable livestock and meat from north of the redline to be integrated into the broader beef sector.

In addition to political will, State-owned media have a responsibility to critically address the redline issue. Their job is to dispel the myth that cattle north of the red- line are of inferior quality. It is essential for them to look beyond political arguments and pronouncements, and find out how much of an economic and social impact the redline has on people in northern areas.

*Andreas Thomas is a seasoned journalist. The views expressed in this article are strictly personal, and do not in any way reflect those of his employer.