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ombudsman John Walters says that one of the major setbacks faced by Namibians wishing to participate in the land reform and resettlement program is that their demands are not processed.
Walters began a series of public hearings on land issues to provide frustrated candidates and interested persons with a platform to share their experiences with a panel of the Office of the Ombudsman and the Ministry of Reform. agrarian.
Since the beginning of this month, he has already visited Mariental, Gobabis and Otjiwarongo. Wednesday, he was at Karibib
His next stop will be at Keetmanshoop on July 24 at the community hall in Tseiblaagte, and on July 26 and 27 he will be at the United Nations Square in Katutura, Windhoek.
The public was in Gobabis until now, where the focus was on municipal issues regarding services and housing provision – which were not part of the program.
There was an exception for people sharing sad and frustrating experiences with the resettlement program. "Public hearings deal with land relocation, experiences with land reform applications, have there been any responses to requests, or is there anybody else?" got the farm or did you hear about non-farm farms? -letter to others? Walters asked.
He then told The Namibian that eventually he will require lists of farms made available for relocation, and the names of the beneficiaries of the various regional land councils.
will show who applied and who have farmland, and who are still waiting, and then the reason for waiting can be explained by the various councils.
"A lot of problems here concern applicants who have applied several times but have not heard anything yet … they are left guessing, not knowing if they failed because they may not have met certain criteria. "[19659011] "There are reasons for each decision, corrective measures can be taken Some of these people have applied for the last 20 years."
Another problem is that of people who had been working on farms since many years, and who may have received special privileges on the farm, and even promised a piece of land. [19659014] This may not materialize because once the farmer passed away, workers could be kicked out of the farm.
"The flip side is that commercial farmers fear informal settlements that grow on their land when they give land. to a worker. We must listen to both parties, "said Walters
During the hearing, the Ombudsman gave his audience the opportunity to make known his point of view, which was recorded and will be presented confidentially. report which will examine all the observations, allegations, answers and points of law and fact.
The report will be submitted to the Ministry of Agrarian Reform, and then made public.
One of the participants, who only identified himself As Chris, this land remains a "big problem" in Namibia.
"Our parents worked and died for the land, and that's why we want some of it, but we are so sad when the land is used for political reasons – that only some people benefit.
"We all want some, we are entitled," he said
bad publicity, saying that the majority of people, especially in rural areas, do not buy, read or read newspapers, watching TV or listening to the radio. "Others say people live like" cockroaches ", while farms are available and older workers are hunted. far from the farms with their wives and children, to end up on the streets with nowhere to go.
Another participant, Ebson, said that he had applied about eight times for farmland over the past two decades, but got no response. "Is it not the previously disadvantaged people who must have priority?" Why do they say that? "They said they were informing me by letter, but I still do not know if anyone else has farmed or not.The farm is still available," he said. he added.
A third participant, Elsie, cried while telling her story that her husband worked on a farm for many years and was even assured that he would get a lot.
"We We had food and water, and we were able to have animals.The owner told us suddenly that we had to leave, we said we could not do without our cattle, our house was destroyed and a truck was brought to remove our belongings
"Many old men die shortly after being thrown away. She was sobbing, adding that she was now living in an informal settlement in Karibib, where their only donkey must be kept with them at the hut so that it would not be stolen – like what happened to their cattle after
She said that they also applied for farmland near Otjimbingwe, but did not hear anything about this application.
"We do not want anything big." Walters then advised young farm workers to save their money instead to buy a small house later, as they might also be forced to leave when they are old. best solution was needed to manage land-based applications, and also urged commercial farmers to take better care of their workers.
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