‘Life was good’

Former Witvlei Meat employees desperately awaiting abattoir’s reopening

The smell of meat fills the air as vendors huddle behind three-legged pots and braai stands along the B6 road at Witvlei.

Many residents who once earned a steady income at Witvlei Meat are now selling kapana to make ends meet after the abattoir shut its doors in 2016.

The abattoir used to serve as the village’s largest employer and taxpayer, with over 200 workers.

Its closure has left many with no income.

“Life was good,” says Else Kaete (51), who lost her job when the abattoir closed.

She says she worked in the kitchen and was responsible for cleaning the abattoir’s showers for three years. Her salary of N$2 500 per month was enough to support her family, she says.

Kaete’s husband was also employed at the abattoir.

“We felt like we were thrown away when it closed,” she says.