Put cap on land ownership

Social commentator Herbert Jauch says government should put a ceiling on how many farms a single person can buy and that everyone should only be allowed to own one urban residential property. He also advised that new policies should be introduced to control how much rent landlords can charge their tenants in urban areas, while Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) Secretary Elijah Ngurare said foreigners should stop with their “Rent-a-Namibian” practices, which sees them partnering with locals to get their hands on land and other business opportunities. Both Jauch and Ngurare’s comments come as the clamour by the landless increases. Both said a series of loopholes has led to a situation where Namibia’s land ownership is concentrated in the hands of foreigners and the elite, leaving the poor masses landless and desperate. A retreat, headed by Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Sophia Shaningwa this weekend will see local authorities deliberating on the land and housing issues. Last year, former Lands Minister, Alpheus !Naruseb, said government has prioritised farms owned by foreign absentee landlords for the resettlement of landless Namibians. He, however, added at the time that the State’s hands are tied when the absentee landowners are in partnership with Namibians. In 2006, three German absentee landlords took the then Minister of Lands, Jerry Ekandjo, to court after their farms were expropriated. As far back as 2004, former President Hifikepunye Pohamba - during his tenure as Minister of Lands - warned that the government would target absentee landlords in implementing land reform. Absent or not Jauch described an absentee landlord as one who owns land, but does not use it for farming, in the case of agricultural land, and for residential purposes, in the case of urban land. He said most rural absentee landlords use their properties only once or twice a year, for either trophy hunting or holidays. “This is not the best usage of land and the debate started around land being owned by people who don’t live in Namibia and who do not use it,” Jauch explained. He added that absentee landlords became a bone of contention and thorn in the flesh of Namibians for mixed reasons. “There is the issue of historical injustice in terms of the land issue, which was never redressed. After political independence, only the elite and foreigners could afford land, neglecting the poor... The other issue is the economical aspect of land, as land is sometimes not used in the best manner in the hands of absentee landlords.” Ngurare said there over 190 farms belonging to absentee landlords and that Swapo is committed to equitable land redistribution. “The solutions are simple. We do not need a consultant to come tell us. It is only a matter of implementation,” Ngurare said. Holiday homes Jauch was of the opinion that the creation of holiday homes and apartments, particularly along the Walvis Bay-Swakopmund road had also created absentee landlords. “These buildings remain empty for most of the year, while residents of these two towns, who are need of houses, live in shacks in DRC and other informal settlements.” “I think there was too little practical commitment, because a lot of statements have been made with little action,” Jauch added. He said the Affirmative Loan Scheme only favoured the fairly rich, who are now the Namibian elite, while poor Namibians were not catered for. Ngurare said Namibians should not allow themselves to be used in “Rent-a-Namibian” schemes by foreigners, who wish to only get their hands on the country’s land and opportunities. “As we know, the system has been abused. We need to close the loopholes in the system. We should discourage this Rent-a-Namibian and look out for the interests of Namibians first,” said Ngurare. “These things are approved by us (Namibians). We should do some background checks, before we get involved in partnerships with foreigners.” WINDHOEK ELVIS MURARANGANDA