Govt allocates land to nine former Omaheke farmworkers

Government has stepped in to help nine former farmworkers in the Omaheke region by allocating them land.They are among thousands who have been evicted and forced to live for years in road corridors with their families and livestock, despite many having worked on farms across the country for generations.The beneficiaries of the recent land allocations are Johannes Bernadus, Nikolaas Mootu, Joel Katurota and Ingenesia Kazombaue; Unomuinjo Mbaeva; Hendrik van Wyk, Frans van Wyk and Regina Araes and Cecilie Mbaeiva and Theofelius Noabeb.Agriculture and land reform minister Inge Zaamwani announced on Tuesday that the group will jointly receive portions of the resettlement farms Wiums Rus and Fiesta. Worrying trend Zaamwani said government has observed with serious concern a deeply troubling trend in which a significant number of people are forced to survive in road corridors with their livestock or on severely overcrowded farmland due to a lack of access to land.“This trend primarily affects former farmworkers, many of whom were born and raised on commercial farms. The gravity of this situation is a national concern that demands urgent and compassionate action from all in the agricultural sector,” she added.The minister noted that government is working to acquire land "specifically to address the needs of affected communities and to ensure that no citizen is left to wander indefinitely in road corridors".Government purchased Farm Wiums Rus and Farm Fiesta in the Omaheke Region for a combined total exceeding N$28 million in September 2024.The 11 000 hectares of land were divided into eight units, six of which were allocated on Tuesday to the selected beneficiaries.The remaining two units are also earmarked to alleviate the plight of families living in road corridors in the region.130 living in road corridorsOmaheke governor Pijoo Nganate said at the handover that around 130 former farmworkers are currently registered as living in road corridors in the region, while nationwide registration figures are still being verified.He added that some of the nine beneficiaries had been temporarily housed at the San resettlement farm Skoonheid and that their relocation is expected to be welcomed by Chief Frederick Langman.According to Nganate, 23% of Namibia’s San population lives in the Omaheke region, and many of its residents, who are former farmworkers, survive in corridors on the outskirts of Gobabis, Witvlei or Tsjaka.Deputy land reform ministry executive director Petrus Nangolo pointed out that Tuesday’s resettlement is not the government’s first intervention.“The government has long prioritised the resettlement of former farmworkers, as was done at Farm Yellowback. However, there is a need to accelerate these efforts, and we now have a dedicated fund for that purpose,” he explained. According to Nangolo, the agriculture ministry partnered with the labour ministry two years ago to register former farmworkers living in road corridors across the country. He declined to disclose how many individuals have been identified so far, noting that a verification process is still ongoing. Deep gratitudeMootu, one of the beneficiaries, expressed deep gratitude for receiving the land.“We’ve been struggling for thirty years to be resettled. I’m glad the government finally heard our plea," he said. Zaamwani called on all farmworkers, employers and landowners to work together in finding solutions to the issue of disruptive evictions.“The practice of forcefully removing long-serving farmworkers – often after generations – and abandoning them in corridors is not only inhumane but also unacceptable,” she said.She also cautioned individuals against the unlawful occupation of road corridors in the hope of securing resettlement, stressing that government will strictly ensure only verified former farmworkers qualify for resettlement.

Govt allocates land to nine former Omaheke farmworkers

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-03-17

Please login to leave a comment

Govt allocates land to nine former Omaheke farmworkers

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-03-17

Please login to leave a comment

Subscription Required to Access Content ×

Login

Subscription Required to Access Content