Deadline for removal of illegal fences at Tsumkwe faces extension

The Otjozondjupa Communal Land Board is contemplating extending the deadline to remove 24 illegal fences in the communal area of Tsumkwe West.

Otjozondjupa Communal Land Board chairperson Jackson Hindjou on Friday said the initial plan was to complete the removal of the fences by 12 April, but heavy rainfall in the area over the past three weeks has hampered the process.

“The communal land board initially set 12 April as the deadline, which is now not possible and, therefore, we are contemplating extending it to the end of April, depending on the assessment of what is still left standing,” said Hindjou.

The removal of the illegal fences at Tsumkwe West started when the team successfully removed three illegally fenced-off tracts of communal land in the Okakarara constituency from 18 to 22 March. These three illegal fences measuring over 18 kilometres were situated at the villages of Ohamuheke, Otjiurutjokatjove and Ombujomenje.

Hindjou stated that the Otjozondjupa Communal Land Board is determined to remove all 24 illegal fences at Tsumkwe West, covering a distance of 148 kilometres in the villages of Kameelwood, //Ha-Du, Bubi Pos, Omatako and Kanovlei.

Thirty-two members of the National Youth Service have been contracted to dismantle the illegal fences in the region and to confiscate

.