Dalene Kooper

KEETMANSHOOP – Pensioner farmers Settie and Maria Saal, who farm near Stampriet in the Hardap region, have turned to the media as a last resort after their landlord sold the land where they were living and farming, leaving them stranded with nowhere to keep their livestock.

They said some local councillors had told them they were too old to acquire land or be resettled.

The Saal couple have been farming with goats and sheep, as well as maintaining a garden, since 1998. They moved from place to place until settling in 2015 on privately owned land, where they paid monthly rent to farm.

“Our landlord sold his land because he is also growing old and can no longer manage the farm. We are not sure whether the new owner will allow us to continue farming there,” Maria said. The couple are now seeking another piece of land, as their animals are roaming in open fields near roads and are exposed to danger. 

They once had more than 200 goats and sheep and earned a stable income from their stock, but have since lost 160 animals.

“We only have 39 goats and sheep left because the rest have been stolen,” Maria said.

Their plans to rebuild their stock have been hampered by the daunting land application process and by their ongoing search for assistance. They said they had approached previous governors, as well as the current governor, but their plight had not yet been addressed.

“We approached the constituency office and the governor’s office for help, and they said they had submitted our request to a higher office for approval,” Maria said.

The Saal couple said the loss of land had also affected their health. Settie said his wife sometimes becomes disoriented because of the stress.

“Where will we go? Where will our children go? This has been painful for us,” he said.

The Karakul farmers said they have lost both livestock and income.

Simon Kooper, Mariental Rural constituency councillor and chairperson of the Hardap Regional Council, said he had been advocating for the couple to access land since they first brought their plea to him.

“I know the case of the Saal couple. They have good knowledge of farming and gardening. They had a flourishing farm, and they have years of experience,” Kooper said.

He said he had tabled the pensioners’ case during regional council meetings and had presented it to the vice president during her visit to the region.

“I even gave their plea to the vice president when she was here for an event, and I handed her their papers,” Kooper said.

He added that he had tried to arrange for the farm owner to sell the land to the government, but the owner sold it to a private farmer.

The regional chairperson praised the couple, saying they had valuable farming knowledge. However, he said he did not have the authority to allocate land to them.

“Their children also possess this knowledge, which I think is a good thing,” he said.

Kooper said his attempts had so far been unsuccessful, but he would continue to advocate for the two farmers.

He said the couple stood a good chance of creating a successful farm with their animals and garden, adding that they had strong interest and experience. However, he said some new farmers with questionable farming plans received land more quickly.

“Others who are new and have very little interest in farming get land quickly,” Kooper said.

He said the matter might only receive attention from higher authorities when the pensioners’ livestock start roaming the roads and are hit by vehicles.

“Only when the consequences are visible will the government step in,” he said.

“These local farmers are not looking for massive land. They just want enough to sustain themselves. That is how we grew up. The government should work with traditional authorities to deliberate on this issue. Resettlement should not be the only solution,” he said.

He said the criteria for small and medium farmers to buy land did not suit many local farmers and expressed hope that better requirements would be introduced for land purchases.

Hardap Governor Riaan McNab said that the matter has been submitted to the office of the minister of agriculture and land.

“Their plight has been forwarded to the minister, and I will follow up soon,” the governor said.

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