Giving effect to resolutions on land remains a daunting task

B.A. BASSON WRITES:Yes, it's true. Namibians are law-abiding and peaceful citizens.The Government and the ruling Swapo Party wanted to bulldoze the 2nd National Land Conference in favour of the majority ethnic group, who didn't own or lost any ancestral land at all. The demeanour of the Government has changed, following the boycotting of the Land Conference by Affirmative Repositioning Movement (AR) and the Landless People's Movement (LPM). The Swapo Elders' Council was being used to push the illicit agenda of the ruling elite majority in the country.We must remember that resettlement means different things to different people. The boycotting by those radical movements have played a very significant and a pivotal role in the inclusiveness of the land conference, believe it or not.It is very easy to adopt resolutions, but to monitor, evaluate and to implement them fully is another daunting task.We have always been praised for having a very good Constitution and enacting nice laws.Yes, we all are well aware that the Government is going through a tough financial dilemma. This economic recession should not be used as an excuse not to implement the critical and long-overdue resolutions of the 2nd Land Conference.The term "just compensation" is very difficult to define. The question immediately begs "just" for who and according to what justification? I concur that inequality can't be permitted to continue just like that.Something drastic needs to be done to restore the human dignity of all our people. Resolutions have to be changed into bills, to either enact new laws or to amend existing laws, viz. for the centuries old problem of illegal fencing in communal areas. There is an uncompromised need to streamline processes, transform legislation and to revitalize policies.We must be hyper-cautious when we talk about underutilized commercial farms, one namibian one farm and resettling emerging communal farmers on a fully-fledged commercial farm. You immediately change the economic status of such a farm from being a commercial farm to a communal reserve.Coming to urban land, cognizance must be taken that sale of erven and water are the municipalities' major sources of income from which to pay the bulk utilities, viz. NamPower and NamWater plus the exorbitant salaries of managers and the CEOs etc.The dumping of farm workers in the corridors of commercial farms is another serious bone of contention, which requires the undivided attention of the Government. I don't know to what extent it was addressed at the Land Conference.However, my advice to Government is when it comes to resettlement, crystal clear differentiation should be made between crop farmers and livestock farmers in terms of contributions being made to the GDP of the country and the paying of taxes at all levels.Yes Cde. President, the resettlement program, allocation of veteran status, tendering exercises and the allocation of fishing rights in this country have been hogwash programs through which the state coffers were drained heavily. These programs need a total revamp in their entirety, if we want to prosper for a better tomorrow.Equally, do we need a symposium on the allocation of fishing rights and by so doing move away from the recent cantankerous criteria of rights allocation. The process is already being questioned and criticized well before the outcome if the results are made public.The redistribution of wealth, restitution of ancestral land and many other issues should not just be a "lip-service", but put into action.I furthermore advise the Government that Article 102 of the Namibian Constitution that deals with "Regional and Local Governments" be amended to empower Traditional Authorities to deal effectively with control and utilization of communal land under subsection (5) of the same Act. This will allow them to deal effectively with illegal evasions, the speedy allocation of grazing land and illegal fencing-off in communal areas.We need the master list of all resettled farmers right from the start of the program till date.Lastly, Traditional Authorities should get recognition in the Namibian Constitution or do away with them, as they anyhow put extra unwarranted financial burden on the state coffers. They are actually causing more harm than any good through their vexatious and nefarious management style.

Giving effect to resolutions on land remains a daunting task

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Republikein 2025-05-02

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Giving effect to resolutions on land remains a daunting task

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