Illegal Na#Jaqna settlers ignore court order
CATHERINE SASMAN
A notice of appeal filed in October and November 2016 by 11 of the 22 respondents ordered to vacate illegally occupied land in the Na#Jaqna Conservancy in Tsumkwe West has lapsed.
In a letter from the Supreme Court dated 28 December, the 11 appellants, including Teckla Lameck, were advised that their notice of appeal had lapsed after none of the appellants met the requirements to continue with the appeal.
In lieu of this, the landmark High Court judgement delivered on 18 August 2016, which instructed the 22 illegal settlers to remove themselves, their fences and livestock within of 60 days, remains in effect and must be executed.
The deadline expired in mid-November, yet none of the 22 respondents, including the 11 who initially decided to appeal, have complied with the court order to date.
During the delivery of the judgement, High Court Judge Shafimana Ueitele instructed the Otjozondjupa Communal Land Board and the !Kung Traditional Authority to take steps to evict the respondents and their livestock, should they not adhere to the court order within 60 days.
In a statement this week, Legal Assistance Centre director Toni Hancox noted that “given that the Supreme Court has now pronounced itself on the appeals, we hope that the Communal Land Board and the Traditional Authority are taking steps to execute the order.”
Yesterday, officials at the Ministry of Land Reform could not comment on the way forward, or any actions taken since the appeals lapsed in December.
According to a source at Omatako in the Na#Jaqna Conservancy, none of the 22 illegal settlers have vacated the land.
A notice of appeal filed in October and November 2016 by 11 of the 22 respondents ordered to vacate illegally occupied land in the Na#Jaqna Conservancy in Tsumkwe West has lapsed.
In a letter from the Supreme Court dated 28 December, the 11 appellants, including Teckla Lameck, were advised that their notice of appeal had lapsed after none of the appellants met the requirements to continue with the appeal.
In lieu of this, the landmark High Court judgement delivered on 18 August 2016, which instructed the 22 illegal settlers to remove themselves, their fences and livestock within of 60 days, remains in effect and must be executed.
The deadline expired in mid-November, yet none of the 22 respondents, including the 11 who initially decided to appeal, have complied with the court order to date.
During the delivery of the judgement, High Court Judge Shafimana Ueitele instructed the Otjozondjupa Communal Land Board and the !Kung Traditional Authority to take steps to evict the respondents and their livestock, should they not adhere to the court order within 60 days.
In a statement this week, Legal Assistance Centre director Toni Hancox noted that “given that the Supreme Court has now pronounced itself on the appeals, we hope that the Communal Land Board and the Traditional Authority are taking steps to execute the order.”
Yesterday, officials at the Ministry of Land Reform could not comment on the way forward, or any actions taken since the appeals lapsed in December.
According to a source at Omatako in the Na#Jaqna Conservancy, none of the 22 illegal settlers have vacated the land.
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