Land Expropriation A Step In The Right Direction
I WOULD like to comment on the recent announcements that land will start to be expropriated in Namibia.
As Namibian currently studying and living in South Africa, this is
the best news I have heard from home in the past months.
The Government must therefore be commended for taking this bold
step.
Detractors aside, Namibians (especially blacks) do not need to
wait for 20 years - like Zimbabweans did - before we can solve this
important national priority.
Those who are making negative stories and formulating
pessimistic hypotheses about land expropriation in fact know the
economic value of land and do not want other Namibians to enjoy the
economic benefit accrued from land.
One can only speculate on the reason for this, that perhaps it
touches the core of their economic power and domination of
Namibia.
But land was the reason why black Namibians went to war.
It is the reason why so many Namibians sacrificed their lives in
the struggle for liberation.
Therefore, the land issue must be resolved in one way or
another, the sooner the better.
The current policy of willing-buyer, willing-seller is not
working and it is not fair.
It makes some people instant millionaires (the previously
advantaged); thus it must be discarded and buried forever.
The Government will never be able to address the issue of
poverty adequately unless the land issue is sufficiently
addressed.
Therefore, the Government is right in this move.
It must stay the course on this and must be resolute in solving
the land issue.
Protasius Nghileendele
University of Natal
The Government must therefore be commended for taking this bold
step.Detractors aside, Namibians (especially blacks) do not need to
wait for 20 years - like Zimbabweans did - before we can solve this
important national priority.Those who are making negative stories
and formulating pessimistic hypotheses about land expropriation in
fact know the economic value of land and do not want other
Namibians to enjoy the economic benefit accrued from land.One can
only speculate on the reason for this, that perhaps it touches the
core of their economic power and domination of Namibia.But land was
the reason why black Namibians went to war.It is the reason why so
many Namibians sacrificed their lives in the struggle for
liberation.Therefore, the land issue must be resolved in one way or
another, the sooner the better.The current policy of willing-buyer,
willing-seller is not working and it is not fair.It makes some
people instant millionaires (the previously advantaged); thus it
must be discarded and buried forever.The Government will never be
able to address the issue of poverty adequately unless the land
issue is sufficiently addressed.Therefore, the Government is right
in this move.It must stay the course on this and must be resolute
in solving the land issue.Protasius Nghileendele
University of Natal