The Agricultural Bank of Namibia (Agribank) is set to dispose of its ownership in the Witvlei Abattoir located in the Omaheke Region after five buyers lined up their bids.
This comes as the agriculture-focused bank had been on the market seeking buyers for the meat processing facility.
“The Bank is still busy with the bid evaluation and approval process,” Agribank Spokesperson Fillemon Nangonya told The Brief.
He was, however, quick to point out that the bank will not be providing any financing to the successful bidder to snap up the abattoir and its surrounding properties which has a N$40-million evaluation.
“No, Agribank will not finance the acquisition of the property, but Agribank may finance the activities at the abattoir, subject to the fulfilment of all requirements in line with the credit policy of the Bank,” he told The Brief.
The financial institution previously leased the property since 2006 to Witvlei Meat for N$250,000 per month until the agreement lapsed on June 26, 2015, after the lessee is alleged to have breached an agreement to buy the property for N$15 million.
The ownership of Witvlei Abattoir later ensued into a legal tussle, amid allegations of non-payment of rentals by Witvlei Meat, which was using the abattoir to slaughter cattle for the Norwegian export market.
The development resulted in Agribank stopping Witvlei Meat from using its property and this saw some 200 permanent and casual workers being affected by the closure.
