About 26 Otavi residents were hospitalised for eating alleged poisoned meat bought from the street.

Selling meat obtained from surrounding farms door-to-door is very common in Otavi.

Late in the afternoon on Thursday, three men were selling dried meat, which they said was from a zebra.

Most of the buyers were from an area called Saamstaan.

However, moments after consuming the meat, which most buyers did not cook and ate raw since it was dried, all of them started feeling nauseous.

That feeling was followed by vomiting and diarrhea, which landed them all in the hospital.

A bundle of meat cost N$5, which sold like hotcakes, as it usually retails for N$20. 

Those who sold the meat were allegedly assaulted by the community members but were later let go after community leader Eveline Damaseb intervened.

About 20 people who ate the meat were hospitalised but discharged after treatment.

According to Otjozondjupa Police spokesperson Maureen Mbeha, the zebra died by itself and started to rot, hence the reaction of the tummies of those who ate the meat.

Mbeha says no arrest has been made as no case has been opened.