Gibeon Village Council councillor Niklaas Dawson has called on the government to provide disaster funding and emergency equipment.
He warns that the village is not prepared to deal with veld fires, floods and disease outbreaks.
Dawson says the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) restrictions could also leave communal farmers without income, making it difficult for them to pay for basic services such as water and electricity.
This comes after finance minister Ericah Shafudah last week said she could not commit to providing subsidies to farmers affected by FMD.
Shafudah said the government has allocated funding to contain the outbreak, vaccinate livestock and find new trading partners.
Dawson raises the concerns to the Office of the Prime Minister in a letter.
“My observations and direct experience indicate that Gibeon does not currently have sufficient financial resources, transport, firefighting equipment, protective clothing, emergency materials or clearly coordinated logistical arrangements to respond effectively to disasters,” he says.
Dawson says he has personally helped fight veld fires using his own resources without receiving government assistance.
He says heavy rains have also damaged houses and affected vulnerable families, while emergency assistance has not always been available.
“Gibeon remains a vulnerable community. Prevention and preparedness must receive the same attention as relief after damage has already occurred,” he says.
Dawson also raises concerns about the impact of FMD restrictions on communal farmers. He says many communal farmers rely on livestock sales to buy food, pay municipal bills and support their families.
“A prolonged disruption in livestock movement and marketing will, therefore, affect not only farmers but also local businesses, employment, household food security and the council’s ability to collect revenue and provide essential services,” he says.
Dawson has asked the government to explain what disaster funds are available to Gibeon and how the village council can access them.
He also wants emergency financial assistance for communal farmers affected by FMD restrictions, including possible temporary relief for households struggling to pay municipal bills.
Dawson calls for trained emergency response teams, firefighting equipment, reliable transport and support for volunteers who use their own resources during disasters.
Meanwhile, Gibeon farmer Christiaan Swartbooi has also accused local authorities of failing to assist farmers affected by veld fires, drought and rising livestock feed costs.
Swartbooi expressed frustration on Monday over what he described as a lack of government support for farmers.
“Our community faces severe crises on multiple fronts, yet the village council and relevant authorities remain completely unresponsive and inactive when our farmers need help the most,” he says.
He claimed that during one fire incident, officials took six hours to arrive, by which time the fire had spread.
“While rain thankfully extinguished the flames eventually, the response time was unacceptable,” he said.
Swartbooi also questioned why disaster relief funds were not helping farmers during emergencies.
“What is the purpose of disaster risk funds or financial allocations if they do not ease the unbearable burdens placed on farmers during crises?” he asked.
He said farmers are also struggling with rising animal feed prices and limited opportunities to sell their livestock.
“Most farmers rely entirely on livestock and agricultural production for their income,” he said.
Swartbooi also wants a meeting between farmers, traditional authorities and the village council to discuss the challenges farmers face.
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism did not respond to The Namibian at the time of publication.
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