Namibia takes SA’s lead in pursuing land expropriation
While the country has abandoned the willing-buyer willing-seller model and will be expropriating land, it will do so with 'just' compensation.
Picture: Twitter – @southerntimesa
Namibia has resolved to abandon the willing-buyer willing-seller method of land reform, committing to implement land expropriation. This follows the country’s second national land conference held in Windhoek on Monday. The first was held a year after the country gained independence from South Africa in 1991.
But while expropriation is certainly on the agenda, unlike Namibia’s neighbours to the south, the country will not be debating the changing of their constitution, and has agreed to implement expropriation “within the confines of the Namibian Constitution,” which would include with “just compensation,” according to coverage from southern African publication The Southern Times.
At the conference, the country committed to enacting the expropriation of foreign-owned agricultural land as well as to expropriating under-utilised Namibian-owned commercial farms.
The conference resolved to expropriate foreign-owned agricultural land, and also to subject under-utilised commercial farms owned by Namibians to expropriation.
The principle of “one Namibian, one farm” was also agreed to.
The conference committed to ensuring a pre- and post-resettlement programme for farmers affected by expropriation would be put in place.
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Resettlement programmes would also prioritise groups including the youth, women, marginalised communities, those with disabilities and veterans of the liberation struggle. Land rights for traditional leaders in the country would also be adhered to.
At the conference it was decided that large communal farmers should be encouraged to relocate to urban areas in order to free up grazing space.
A progressive tax system and a tax for absentee landlords would be implemented.
The conference resolved to address the plight of landless communities by identifying “alternative restorative methods.”
Last week, the country’s president, Hage Geingob, highlighted the need for “difficult conversations” to take place around the land issue, “with the aim of finding peaceful and sustainable solutions to the challenges of inequality, landlessness and outstanding pains of genocide”.
The Conference agreed to a principle of One Namibian-One
Farm #NamLandConference @tirie24 @RealTimo10 @dignitymare7 @MICTNamibia @stanleymsimataa @rangamataire @tileni_rebel pic.twitter.com/B5gfho0nfY— The Southern Times (@southerntimesa) October 8, 2018
On the resettlement programme,the Conference resolved to
review all policies related to this programme ,&also to develop
pre-and post resettlement support programmes for the farmers. #NamLandConference @tirie24 @RealTimo10 @dignitymare7 @MICTNamibia @stanleymsimataa @rangamataire pic.twitter.com/fL3ZblUKNO— The Southern Times (@southerntimesa) October 8, 2018
The needs& pririotisation of designated groups was also
resolved to be taken into account in the resettlement programmes
and land reform,& this include the youth, women, marginalized communities, persons with disabilities& veterans of the liberation struggle. #NamLandConference pic.twitter.com/JN3g4CPFap— The Southern Times (@southerntimesa) October 8, 2018
The conference resolved too ensure land rights, the Conference urged all Traditional Authorities to implement the Communal Land Reform Act, 2002,
and to register the rights of all communal households &farmers. #NamLandConference @tirie24 @RealTimo10 @MICTNamibia @stanleymsimataa pic.twitter.com/ZMTKhRSqPY— The Southern Times (@southerntimesa) October 8, 2018
The Conference also encouraged large communal farmers to be
relocated to commercial areas, in order to free grazing for
communal areas. @tirie24 @RealTimo10 @dignitymare7 @MICTNamibia @stanleymsimataa @rangamataire #NamLandConference @tileni_rebel pic.twitter.com/e4OvLP6EFz— The Southern Times (@southerntimesa) October 8, 2018
The Conference agreed to fully implement the progressive tax
system, and to also introduce a tax for absentee landlords. @tirie24 @RealTimo10 @dignitymare7 @MICTNamibia @stanleymsimataa @rangamataire #NamLandConference pic.twitter.com/LI6pzcsJtl— The Southern Times (@southerntimesa) October 8, 2018
On the valuation of land, the Conference resolved that
Government should implement the Property Valuers Act, 2012. @tirie24 @RealTimo10 @dignitymare7 @MICTNamibia @stanleymsimataa @rangamataire #NamLandConference pic.twitter.com/ScfKxOWW93— The Southern Times (@southerntimesa) October 8, 2018
The Conference also resolved that Government identify
alternative restorative methods to address the plight of landless
communities @tirie24 @RealTimo10 @dignitymare7 @MICTNamibia @stanleymsimataa @rangamataire #NamLandConference pic.twitter.com/f2saWjgWKZ— The Southern Times (@southerntimesa) October 8, 2018
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