Utoni faces more fire

Ombudsman John Walters says it appears the land reform ministry did not inform unsuccessful applicants why it decided to allocate Farm Felseneck No.26 and Okanatjikuma No.26 to a company called Passions Culinary and Hospitality Institute CC. Walters was confronted with complaints from unsuccessful bidders during his regional consultations on government's resettlement programme, shortly before the country's second national land conference. He said land reform minister Utoni Nujoma is compelled by law to provide reasons for the allocation of resettlement farming units to all unsuccessful applicants. “People often do not understand their rights. The law determines that the minister shall by written notice inform applicants of his decisions,” Walters said last Thursday.Sophia Basson, a resident of Okahandja and owner of a company called Sobas Investments CC, is one of the unsuccessful applicants that registered her complaints, not just with the ombudsman, but with Nujoma. Farm Felseneck was first advertised for resettlement purposes in 2013, but was withdrawn from the resettlement scheme for unknown reasons.When it was re-advertised in 2016, Basson, who has extensive experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, applied for resettlement, and when she failed to get a response, complained to Nujoma, Otjozondjupa governor Otto Iipinge, and even to President Hage Geingob, saying she did not receive any response from the Otjozondjupa land reform district office.She did not get any feedback from Geingob either and remains adamant that the eventual allocation was done unfairly. 'Catering' company gets farmThe farms, totalling 4829.24 hectares in size, are situated 45 kilometres outside Okahandja and adjacent to the Erindi private game reserve.They were officially handed over to a company called Passions Culinary and Hospitality Institute CC.The allotment letter states the shareholders/beneficiaries of Passions Culinary are Valerie Aron (30%), Jona Levi (30%), Niklaas Steenkamp (20%) and Veripurua Katjatenja (20%). Aron is the former mayor of Okahandja, who allegedly has close links to the land reform minister.Levi can be considered a celebrity chef, who has, by his own admission, received many government catering contracts. He has also been running the restaurant at parliament for five years. Steenkamp is the former deputy mayor of Okahandja, who served under Aron's leadership. Company records at the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) states that Levi is the sole owner and shareholder of Passions Culinary. Given to 'elites'This caused Landless People's Movement (LPM) activists to deduce that the company was used to allot the farm to “elites”, who they say are allocating resettlement farms to each other. Aron, however, countered that the shareholding of Passions Culinary was amended, saying it is now owned by the four members. Levi confirmed Aron's assertion, saying he realised he would have to take on strategic partners to be considered for resettlement on a game farm, after having unsuccessfully applied since 2011. However, this amendment is not reflected in the Bipa company records. “How can a catering company get the farm? What does a catering company want to do on such a large piece of land?” one LPM activist, who preferred anonymity, questioned. Not favoured by UtoniAron said the farms were allocated to Passions Culinary after it applied for the land. She also took exception to claims that the application was favoured because of her alleged close ties to Nujoma.“[As] far as I am concerned Minister Nujoma is a national leader who ought to be known by any Namibian, including myself, but that does not mean I am a family friend, as it is alleged,” Aron said. The allotment letter states that the resettlement land is to be utilised strictly for game farming, hunting and tourism-related activities. Levi said the plan is to run the farm as a game farm and to set up a tourism and hospitality school on the premises. CATHERINE SASMAN

Utoni faces more fire

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-07

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Utoni faces more fire

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-07

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