LPM to sue for expropriation
The Landless People’s Movement says it is preparing legal procedures for the expropriation of white-owned commercial farms at Dordabis and Omitara.
JEMIMA BEUKES
Local landless activist groups have accused the white farming community of being reluctant to engage but warned that “the time will come when black people will take their land”.
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) and Affirmative Repositioning (AR) also believe recently published statistics that show 70% of commercial land is in white hands, justifies expropriation.
On Thursday, the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) revealed that white commercial farmers still own 70% of commercial farmland in Namibia, while black people own just 16% of the total 39 million hectares of the freehold agricultural land, and government just about 14%.
The LPM’s Hennie Seibeb said they tried to reach out to the former boss of the Namibia Agriculture Union (NAU), Sakkie Coetzee, in 2017 but says they were “snubbed”.
“He never came back and instead went and got assurance from Swapo that their [white] commercial farms will not be touched. So they effectively do not want to discuss anything. They are happy with the status quo,” he said.
The LPM says that due to their refusal to engage, they are now preparing legal procedures and processes for the expropriation of commercial farms starting with land surrounding Dordabis and Omitara, and around Tsumkwe, if need be.
According to him, LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi is reaching out to local and international lawyers who are willing to assist on a pro-bono basis.
“The first point of call for us are those farms at Dordabis and Omitara. You cannot have over 1 000 people squeezed into a small 82 hectares of land for 28 years. And they are just confined there as if they are slaves. It is wrong, so let us expropriate those farms and resettle those people,” he said.
Seibeb said it is a shame for Swapo to return year after year to these communities and campaign, promising them better lives, yet for 28 years their lives have not improved.
Meanwhile, Coetzee spoke to Namibian Sun and said he met with the LPM to discuss land but never promised them anything.
According to him, the NAU came up with an internal land paper that will be presented at the land conference.
“LPM asked for it but management said it is not for public consumption,” Coetzee told Namibian Sun.
The current NAU executive manager Roelie Venter refused to comment.
AR leader Job Amupanda meanwhile warned white commercial farmers saying they must start engaging with the future leaders of the country.
“We are not under any illusion, we know the white man owns the land with the permission of the coward and black elite that cannot confront the white man. But these guys [the current leadership] are going to die very soon and we will get our land,” Amupanda told Namibian Sun.
Local landless activist groups have accused the white farming community of being reluctant to engage but warned that “the time will come when black people will take their land”.
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) and Affirmative Repositioning (AR) also believe recently published statistics that show 70% of commercial land is in white hands, justifies expropriation.
On Thursday, the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) revealed that white commercial farmers still own 70% of commercial farmland in Namibia, while black people own just 16% of the total 39 million hectares of the freehold agricultural land, and government just about 14%.
The LPM’s Hennie Seibeb said they tried to reach out to the former boss of the Namibia Agriculture Union (NAU), Sakkie Coetzee, in 2017 but says they were “snubbed”.
“He never came back and instead went and got assurance from Swapo that their [white] commercial farms will not be touched. So they effectively do not want to discuss anything. They are happy with the status quo,” he said.
The LPM says that due to their refusal to engage, they are now preparing legal procedures and processes for the expropriation of commercial farms starting with land surrounding Dordabis and Omitara, and around Tsumkwe, if need be.
According to him, LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi is reaching out to local and international lawyers who are willing to assist on a pro-bono basis.
“The first point of call for us are those farms at Dordabis and Omitara. You cannot have over 1 000 people squeezed into a small 82 hectares of land for 28 years. And they are just confined there as if they are slaves. It is wrong, so let us expropriate those farms and resettle those people,” he said.
Seibeb said it is a shame for Swapo to return year after year to these communities and campaign, promising them better lives, yet for 28 years their lives have not improved.
Meanwhile, Coetzee spoke to Namibian Sun and said he met with the LPM to discuss land but never promised them anything.
According to him, the NAU came up with an internal land paper that will be presented at the land conference.
“LPM asked for it but management said it is not for public consumption,” Coetzee told Namibian Sun.
The current NAU executive manager Roelie Venter refused to comment.
AR leader Job Amupanda meanwhile warned white commercial farmers saying they must start engaging with the future leaders of the country.
“We are not under any illusion, we know the white man owns the land with the permission of the coward and black elite that cannot confront the white man. But these guys [the current leadership] are going to die very soon and we will get our land,” Amupanda told Namibian Sun.
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