Of our zig-zagging govt

Government's pronouncement that it is unable to implement the Rent Control Ordinance of 1977, as well as the Estate Agents Act of 1976, as a way to contain the soaring rent prices in the country smacks of hypocrisy. A local pressure group has, rightly so, turned up the heat in its quest to have the issue of high rental costs addressed. However, industrialisation minister Tjekero Tweya argued last week government was unable to implement the rent ordinance since it was impractical to do so in its current form, saying the authorities were looking at addressing the issue through a yet to be tabled rent bill. This has not been well-received by the Affirmative Repositioning movement, which has criticised government for using archaic laws such as the Squatters Proclamation 21 of 1985 to demolish properties illegally erected by landless and poor Namibians. The AR is determined to force government to implement the Rent Control Ordinance of 1977, as well as the Estate Agents Act of 1976, which will result in the creation of rent control boards, as was the case before independence. These old-era rent control boards were deemed very effective, as they were consumer-driven and there was a willingness to actually listen to concerns raised by tenants. Sadly the current regime is zig-zagging on the issue and has seemingly adopted a non-caring attitude towards vulnerable Namibians, who are forced to spend a huge chunk of their salaries on paying rent in an already tough economic climate, where we have also seen young people struggling to get jobs. Our heartless leaders know too well that Namibians are priced out of the property market, due to runaway prices, and not even a married couple with a joint bond are able to get a decent place to call home. As highlighted in a recent study by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR), government is clearly struggling to implement economic justice programmes even though they appear good on paper. Surely they can't be content with the status quo and watch with folded arms as fellow Namibians are tormented by merciless property owners.