NAU: ‘Stay cool on expropriation’

THE Namibia Agricultural Union has appealed to white farmers to stay calm and not to react irresponsibly following a Government announcement that it plans to expropriate commercial farms.

The union’s President, Jan de Wet, said yesterday that the announcement “came as a shock but, like death, was inevitable”. “If it is not handled in a proper manner, it will disturb stability in the country and affect the economy,” he said.The farmers said they did not see the need for the introduction of the expropriation process.For them the ‘willing-seller, willing-buyer’ concept that Prime Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab described as slow and cumbersome had worked with around 700 farms, or 10 per cent of available farmland, having changed ownership in the past six years.”The ‘willing-seller, willing-buyer’ process did work and it created stability and peace of mind for farmers.A lot of farms were offered to the Government in the last six years but their purchase was waived.At this stage, I don’t see the necessity for expropriation,” he said.When he announced the expropriation on Wednesday evening, Gurirab said farmers who lost their farms would be justly compensated as provided for in the Namibian Constitution.”Committed to seeing through the ‘willing-seller, willing-buyer’ approach, Government has witnessed with dismay and outrage how farm workers are left destitute and dumped with their families and belongings on the roadsides by their former employers,” the Prime Minister said.He said more than 240 000 people were still waiting to be resettled, and that commercial farmers inflated farm prices, making it difficult for Government to buy land.De Wet said it was unclear which farms were earmarked, how transparent the process would be, what criteria would be used to identify the farms’ and how Government would arrive at just compensation.”To the farmers I would like to say that we must not overreact.Be cool, calm and collected.I believe we and the Government don’t want to disturb stability.We will approach the issue with the necessary responsibility and coolness,” he said.He said they wanted the process to be carried out legally and be handled in a transparent manner.The union leadership argued that labour unrest was not to blame for Government’s decision to expropriate farms.”We had four incidents last year that involved four evictions.Four commercial farmers and 13 farm workers were involved.If there had no been timely intervention by us and the Government, it would have disturbed the peace,” De Wet said.He said compared to the around 4 000 farmers and an estimated 45 000 farm labourers in the country, it was a drop in the ocean and should not be blown out of proportion.Since 1995, Government has set aside N$20 million a year to buy land.This was increased to N$50 million last year.The plans for expropriation remained vague yesterday.Sources said Government still needed to work out details surrounding its implementation.In the meantime, De Wet and and fellow farmers are hoping that things will not go the Zimbabwe way.”We must avoid that at all costs,” he said.The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) is set to respond to the Government announcement today.”If it is not handled in a proper manner, it will disturb stability in the country and affect the economy,” he said.The farmers said they did not see the need for the introduction of the expropriation process.For them the ‘willing-seller, willing-buyer’ concept that Prime Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab described as slow and cumbersome had worked with around 700 farms, or 10 per cent of available farmland, having changed ownership in the past six years.”The ‘willing-seller, willing-buyer’ process did work and it created stability and peace of mind for farmers.A lot of farms were offered to the Government in the last six years but their purchase was waived.At this stage, I don’t see the necessity for expropriation,” he said.When he announced the expropriation on Wednesday evening, Gurirab said farmers who lost their farms would be justly compensated as provided for in the Namibian Constitution.”Committed to seeing through the ‘willing-seller, willing-buyer’ approach, Government has witnessed with dismay and outrage how farm workers are left destitute and dumped with their families and belongings on the roadsides by their former employers,” the Prime Minister said.He said more than 240 000 people were still waiting to be resettled, and that commercial farmers inflated farm prices, making it difficult for Government to buy land.De Wet said it was unclear which farms were earmarked, how transparent the process would be, what criteria would be used to identify the farms’ and how Government would arrive at just compensation.”To the farmers I would like to say that we must not overreact.Be cool, calm and collected.I believe we and the Government don’t want to disturb stability.We will approach the issue with the necessary responsibility and coolness,” he said.He said they wanted the process to be carried out legally and be handled in a transparent manner.The union leadership argued that labour unrest was not to blame for Government’s decision to expropriate farms.”We had four incidents last year that involved four evictions.Four commercial farmers and 13 farm workers were involved.If there had no been timely intervention by us and the Government, it would have disturbed the peace,” De Wet said.He said compared to the around 4 000 farmers and an estimated 45 000 farm labourers in the country, it was a drop in the ocean and should not be blown out of proportion.Since 1995, Government has set aside N$20 million a year to buy land.This was increased to N$50 million last year.The plans for expropriation remained vague yesterday.Sources said Government still needed to work out details surrounding its implementation.In the meantime, De Wet and and fellow farmers are hoping that things will not go the Zimbabwe way.”We must avoid that at all costs,” he said.The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) is set to respond to the Government announcement today.