Swapo's hits and misses

The Swapo government's lofty goals for land and resettlement have been affected by the extensive budget cuts as a result of the poor economic conditions currently experienced in the country. This was highlighted when the Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila presented the implementation report of the party's 5th congress resolutions by government offices, ministries and agencies.The report was presented at the just-concluded 6th congress of the party held over the weekend in Windhoek.According to the report, the land reform ministry envisaged to complete the land acquisition programme by 2020 targeting 5 million hectares of land required for resettlement, by acquiring 280 000 hectares every year ending 2017. The projection was based on the assumption that the more than N$800 million that was allocated to the ministry for the 2015/16 financial year would be maintained until the target is met. “However, the ministry has experienced extensive budgetary cuts for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 financial years. This has resulted in many potential farms that were assessed as suitable for resettlement being waived for sale on the open market. Thus, the ministry will be unable to meet the yearly target,” the report said. However, from 1990 to date, a total of 513 farms measuring 3.2 million hectares of the targeted 5 million hectares of commercial land, have been acquired at a cost of N$1.7 billion.Apart from funding, the execution of other resolutions were also affected by a number of varying challenges.These include the pending legislative amendments regarding land ownership by foreign nationals, as well as the inability to satisfy the demand for land from the landless, against a limited supply of land. The report also lamented the registration of land into company names and close corporations by landowners to circumvent the law. Meanwhile, the report stipulated that the government, through the ministry of urban and rural development, implemented various measures aimed at ensuring equity and proper management and administration of the allocation, utilisation and development of urban land. This was done through the provision of grants and budgetary allocations to regional local councils for the servicing of land. Government further proclaimed 145 townships and through this, provided 26 280 residential plots between 2012 and 2017.Another 14 140 new urban residential plots were serviced between 2014 and 2017, while six new local authorities were proclaimed at Otjinene, Bukalo, Divundu, Okongo, Oniipa and Tsandi.Meanwhile, as resolved in the 2012 congress, the Namibia Youth Credit Scheme was expended and is now operational in all 14 regions providing loan funding from N$2 000 up to N$100 000. So far 8 000 young people have benefited from this fund. The ministry of sport, through the Kai//Ganaxab, Berg Aukas, Okahao and Frans Dimbare training centres also trained a total of 600 young Namibians in different technical and vocational skills for the 2016/17 financial year. JEMIMA BEUKES

Swapo's hits and misses

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-08

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Swapo's hits and misses

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-08

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