Illegal fencing of communal land continues unabated

OSHAKATI – A one-day workshop on the implementation of the Communal Land Reform Act has heard that many wealthy people are fencing off large portions of communal land.

The workshop took place at Oshakati on Friday. A regional official of the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement, Pele Kavela, told Nampa that the workshop was convened by his Ministry for regional councillors, members of the Communal Land Board, traditional leaders and members of the Namibian Police.According to Kavela, the workshop heard from traditional leaders that many well-off people in the areas under their jurisdiction have fenced off large potions of land without the headmen’s consent and are refusing to remove the illegal fences.Kavela said some wealthy people are bribing headmen to allow them to occupy large areas of land.In terms of the Communal Land Reform Act, this is not allowed without the consent of the lands minister.The workshop participants appealed to the Police to help traditional authorities with the removal of illegal fences in the communal areas.The Communal Land Reform Act became law in March 2003, but its implementation has been very rocky.March 2006 was set as the deadline for people occupying land in the communal areas to ensure that they are granted a 99-year legal right to lease the land they are living on, said Kavela.- NampaA regional official of the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement, Pele Kavela, told Nampa that the workshop was convened by his Ministry for regional councillors, members of the Communal Land Board, traditional leaders and members of the Namibian Police.According to Kavela, the workshop heard from traditional leaders that many well-off people in the areas under their jurisdiction have fenced off large potions of land without the headmen’s consent and are refusing to remove the illegal fences.Kavela said some wealthy people are bribing headmen to allow them to occupy large areas of land.In terms of the Communal Land Reform Act, this is not allowed without the consent of the lands minister.The workshop participants appealed to the Police to help traditional authorities with the removal of illegal fences in the communal areas.The Communal Land Reform Act became law in March 2003, but its implementation has been very rocky.March 2006 was set as the deadline for people occupying land in the communal areas to ensure that they are granted a 99-year legal right to lease the land they are living on, said Kavela.- Nampa