OTJIWARONGO - The Otjiwarongo municipality on Thursday confirmed the issuance of eviction notices to livestock and crop farmers allegedly conducting illegal farming activities around the town.

Mayor Gottlieb Shivute, in an interview with Nampa, said a total of 27 farmers, who were illegally occupying municipal land, were last week issued exiction notices.

The farmers are mostly occupying the area situated southeast of town earmarked for a reception dwelling and on Camp 5 marked for residential purposes.

“We only urge them to cooperate and vacate as we would like to start implementing the council resolutions passed in relation to this land,” said Shivute.

The mayor further stated that his office has 4 000 applications for dwelling plots, and this area around Camp 5 is the one identified by the municipality.

He said residents who want to farm on the local authority land may apply for land at Camp 3, which is specifically for agricultural purposes, and situated east of town.

Some farmers told Nampa they received eviction notices and were threatened with penalties of N$100 per square metres of land they occupy.

“I have been on this piece of land for seven years, farming with 50 chickens, 20 goats, and five cattle, so I have nowhere else to go,” said the 57-year-old Jemutika Ndovazu, who has vowed to defy the eviction notice and stay put on the land.

Mekondjo Isak, on his part, plead with the municipality to allow him to do his farming this year, until such a time the municipality would really want to use the land in the future.

Hilma Ekandjo (62) criticised the municipality for wanting her out just after she cleared the portion of land.

She called on the government to intervene in the matter since she derives her livelihood from cultivating maize on the municipal land. - Nampa