Eba Kandovazu
The deaths of 27 people and injuries to 37 others in crocodile attacks between 2023 and 2026 have highlighted the dangers faced by communities relying on Namibia’s northern rivers for daily activities.
As authorities explore ways to reduce human-wildlife conflict, a proposal to install protective barriers at designated river-access points could offer communities safer access to water without disrupting aquatic ecosystems.
The initiative, which is being explored by the University of Namibia (UNAM), the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, targets communities along the Kavango, Zambezi and Kunene rivers, where residents regularly collect water, wash and swim.
However, the project remains in the feasibility stage, with questions surrounding its effectiveness, costs, funding and environmental implications yet to be resolved.
Environment ministry Chief Public Relations Officer Vilho Hangula, who confirmed the crocodile attack statistics, said the ministry would be involved in the proposed initiative.
“Yes, the problem, however, is that you need quite a few protective barriers to make an impact and these come at a cost,” he said.
Hangula noted that indigenous communities had historically used similar protective methods and suggested that traditional knowledge could inform modern interventions.
He said further research would be required to assess the environmental implications of the structures, adding that an environmental impact assessment had not yet been conducted.
The ministry’s existing measures to address human-wildlife conflict include research, monitoring, land-use planning, public awareness, community engagement and the removal of problem-causing animals.
Affected communities also receive support through the human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme, while revenue generated from problem-causing crocodiles is used to support conflict prevention and address losses.
UNAM spokesperson Simon Namesho said the university, through its José Eduardo dos Santos School of Engineering Campus in Ongwediva, had held discussions with Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare on the proposal.
“The work so far is focused on the Kavango River,” he said.
UNAM engineers have visited Mukwe constituency in the Kavango East region to assess crocodile hotspots and gather information for preliminary designs.
The proposed Integrated Crocodile Exclusion and Safe River Access Engineering System for Community Protection would establish designated areas where residents could access water with reduced exposure to crocodiles.
According to Namesho, the structures could feature non-slip, water-resistant decks, galvanised steel framing, flotation units, stainless-steel mesh barriers, hinged access gangways and guide piles to accommodate changing water levels.
Solar lighting and life-saving equipment are also being considered.
The mesh barriers would prevent crocodiles from entering designated areas while allowing water to flow through.
Namesho emphasised that the structures would not enclose entire rivers, but would instead protect specific locations frequently used by communities.
“The intervention is not intended to enclose the entire river,” he said.
Final designs, including dimensions, mesh specifications and structural fittings, would depend on further engineering assessments and consultations with wildlife specialists.
Despite preliminary progress, questions remain about the system’s practicality, environmental sustainability and implementation.
“No formal agreement, memorandum of understanding or project timeline has been concluded yet,” Namesho said.
An environmental impact assessment and further discussions with the Office of the Prime Minister would inform subsequent decisions on fabrication and construction.
In Mukwe constituency, where communities depend on the Kavango River, the proposal has generated cautious optimism.
Resident Aron Mundanya welcomed the initiative but called for consultations with traditional authorities and community leaders before implementation.
He questioned whether the structures would remain effective during seasonal flooding, when rising water levels could present additional challenges.
“Sometimes it will only be effective during this dry season what more during floods? Will those barriers be effective even during flood periods?” he asked.
Former Mukwe constituency councillor Damien Maghambayi also welcomed the proposal, describing it as an opportunity to revisit traditional approaches to preventing crocodile attacks.
“Human life is equally important and must be protected alongside wildlife,” he said.
Maghambayi recalled that communities previously placed thick, thorny bushes and branches along riverbanks and in water-access areas to discourage crocodiles from approaching.
Although the practice gradually disappeared as lifestyles changed, he believes such indigenous knowledge could inform more sustainable solutions.
“There is a need to build on this local knowledge and explore safer, more sustainable alternatives,” he said.
He also recalled that in 2022, while serving as regional councillor, he worked with experts from the ministry of fisheries to explore solutions to crocodile attacks along the Kavango River.
Their proposals included tagging and tracking crocodiles to monitor their movements and identify high-risk areas.
For Maghambayi, lasting solutions must balance community safety with environmental protection, recognising the relationship between people, fish and the river.
“We must protect this relationship while ensuring that communities can access the river more safely,” he said.
– Nampa
The post Crocodile barriers offer hope for safer river access appeared first on New Era.