Under the spotlight of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts, it emerged at a hearing yesterday that between 1997 and 1999 the Ministry of Lands underspent on its land budget by N$15 million.

In the financial year 1999-2000 the land reform programme could only muster a paltry N$3,8 million, according to the Ministry's own annual report for that year.

The Ministry budgets N$20 million a year to purchase farms for resettlement.

Johan de Waal, DTA-UDF Coalition member of the National Assembly, demanded that the Lands Permanent Secretary, Frans Tsheehama, explain why the Ministry had given back to Treasury money earmarked for land acquisition.

"In 1998, you gave back N$6,5 million," said De Waal, who is Chairman of the committee that scrutinises Government spending outlined in the Auditor General's reports. "People out there are crying that land should be bought and you are giving back money."

De Waal asked about an apparent feature in the AG's reports of 1998 and 1999 showing that the Ministry had spent less than the money allocated.

Tsheehama conceded to "problems in the financial system" saying the underspending was not because they did not need the money.

However, he said Government did not get enough farms to buy through the willing-buyer, willing-seller policy.

De Waal argued that at any time more than 150 farms were up for sale. Tsheehama disagreed, saying three years ago the situation was different.

Farms "were not forthcoming", contended Tsheehama, adding that most farms offered for sale were not suitable for Government resettlement plans.

As lawmakers probed other aspects of the Ministry budget, it became clear that the financial system was in shambles and may have contributed to many problems regarding spending.

Buying of land was not the only area that suffered from underspending, but it appears to have had the most substantial lack of use despite the outcry for land reform.

President Sam Nujoma has repeatedly criticised white farmers of holding to their colonial heritage, warning that the patience of many landless blacks was wearing thin.

Swapo, in a show of urgency, decided in August that more money be allocated to buy farms for resettlement and that land owned by foreigners be taken away. Compensation will be paid.

The Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation is now compiling a list of the farms earmarked for expropriation.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) says at the present pace of land distribution (7,4 per cent has been transferred to previously indigenous people since 1990) it will take "another 60 years to bring 50 per cent of commercial farmland into the hands of previously disadvantaged Namibians".

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