Land degradation is rife in Namibia. The country experiences major losses of rangeland productivity mainly in the form of bush encroachment. The factors that cause degradation are complex and interrelated, but are mainly a result of unsustainable rangeland management. A case study considering the rangeland management methods used by commercial cattle farmers in the Highland Savanna of Namibia was used to investigate the research questions. Firstly, to determine if the rangeland management methods used by farmers in the Highland Savanna possibly contribute to land degradation/desertification. Secondly, to explore whether farmers are increasing their vulnerability to the effects of drought and climate change. To answer the research questions, a quantitative questionnaire was used to investigate three broad categories of rangeland management as identified in the literature review. The categories are: carrying capacity and stocking rate, drought preparedness and coping strategies, bush encroachment and its management. The results indicated that the rangeland management methods used by the majority of the farmers in the study area are contributing towards degradation and that these farmers are increasing their vulnerability to the effects of climate change. Namibia’s rainfall is highly variable and requires adaptive rangeland management in order to overcome the adverse effects of drought. The results identified a lack of drought preparedness as a key area where farmers are increasing their vulnerability to water scarce periods. High stocking rates were also identified as a significant factor that decreases farmers' flexibility to drought and increases their vulnerability to its effects. Vulnerability to drought translates into a vulnerability to the effects of climate change. It was also found that some farmers lack knowledge on key aspects of rangeland function and management. Any interventions implemented to combat land degradation would be in vain if the drivers of degradation are not addressed first. This study has highlighted the drivers of rangeland degradation in Namibia and the recommendations made will assist farmers in their decision-making processes that will hopefully lead to sustainable rangeland management. The study has also identified factors that prevent sustainable rangeland management. Some of these factors need to be addressed by the relevant government agencies, institutions and the farmers themselves. Key words: Degradation, drought, sustainable rangeland management, cattle, stocking rate, carrying capacity, bush encroachment, climate change, vulnerability.