Fast track land reform
Land reform still remains a contentious issue 27 years after independence.
Mariental Rural Constituency councillor Simon Christy Dukeleni has called for a review of the resettlement process, saying the current policy is not transparent.
“We must review the criteria for resettlement. Land is what people need. We should deal with the matter of resettlement with utmost care and circumspection,” he said recently during his contribution to the budget vote for the Ministry of Land Reform in the National Council where he serves as a member.
He suggested and urged the government to strengthen the regional structures to give them additional mandate to champion decentralisation.
According to Dukeleni, the resettlement programme is not transparent and the Ministry of Land Reform must find a lasting solution to the criticism raised about the allocation of land. He said although resettlement for land redistribution purposes is a must, the government must take a clinical look at how the process has so far been conducted.
Dukeleni emphasised that the land issue should never be seen as a curse, adding that it should not remain a source for discontent. He expressed hope that the second national land conference will address many sensitive issues around land and resettlement.
“Let us add speed and urgency to this matter. Let us all act fairly and responsibly whilst finding amicable solutions. Land is our national asset,” he said.
Dukeleni in highlighting problems within the resettlement programme said numerous farms on which people are resettled are not used productively due to lack of skills and/or resources.
According to him, it is disheartening that productive farms that are bought are split into small units that can only accommodate a herd of 70 to 80 livestock.
“With such small numbers of livestock, not even the most skilled or resourced person can make a commercial success. The smaller the unit the higher the risk for failure of a resettlement programme,” Dukeleni argued.
He added that the situation is worsened by the lengthy time taken before people are resettled and during that time, no maintenance takes place resulting in the infrastructure disintegrating.
Dukeleni also argues that more resources would be required to fix the equipment and property.
“People see an empty space of land and decide to invade it and removing them from such a land poses serious political challenges.”
He urged government to acquire more land to meet the high demand for land.
However, he said it is not very clear if all Namibians are buying into the noble vision of land redistribution.
“We have observed that many farms are registered as closed corporations, which are owned by a few individuals. While it would encourage business development, the closed corporations should not frustrate government's efforts to acquire more land,” he said.
FRED GOEIEMAN
“We must review the criteria for resettlement. Land is what people need. We should deal with the matter of resettlement with utmost care and circumspection,” he said recently during his contribution to the budget vote for the Ministry of Land Reform in the National Council where he serves as a member.
He suggested and urged the government to strengthen the regional structures to give them additional mandate to champion decentralisation.
According to Dukeleni, the resettlement programme is not transparent and the Ministry of Land Reform must find a lasting solution to the criticism raised about the allocation of land. He said although resettlement for land redistribution purposes is a must, the government must take a clinical look at how the process has so far been conducted.
Dukeleni emphasised that the land issue should never be seen as a curse, adding that it should not remain a source for discontent. He expressed hope that the second national land conference will address many sensitive issues around land and resettlement.
“Let us add speed and urgency to this matter. Let us all act fairly and responsibly whilst finding amicable solutions. Land is our national asset,” he said.
Dukeleni in highlighting problems within the resettlement programme said numerous farms on which people are resettled are not used productively due to lack of skills and/or resources.
According to him, it is disheartening that productive farms that are bought are split into small units that can only accommodate a herd of 70 to 80 livestock.
“With such small numbers of livestock, not even the most skilled or resourced person can make a commercial success. The smaller the unit the higher the risk for failure of a resettlement programme,” Dukeleni argued.
He added that the situation is worsened by the lengthy time taken before people are resettled and during that time, no maintenance takes place resulting in the infrastructure disintegrating.
Dukeleni also argues that more resources would be required to fix the equipment and property.
“People see an empty space of land and decide to invade it and removing them from such a land poses serious political challenges.”
He urged government to acquire more land to meet the high demand for land.
However, he said it is not very clear if all Namibians are buying into the noble vision of land redistribution.
“We have observed that many farms are registered as closed corporations, which are owned by a few individuals. While it would encourage business development, the closed corporations should not frustrate government's efforts to acquire more land,” he said.
FRED GOEIEMAN
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