The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform has adjudicated a total of 251 communal land appeal cases out of 276, as per the Communal Land Reform Act which has been operational since 2003.
This was announced by the line minister, Calle Schlettwein, during an induction training of 49 Appeal Tribunal Members as provided by the Act here on Thursday.
The Act provides for the allocation of rights in respect of communal land through established communal land boards and provides powers to chiefs and traditional authorities, as well as makes provision for incidental matters, in relation to communal land.
Schlettwein said land is a scarce resource and many people are competing for it, resulting in land related disputes emerging, which requires it to be adjudicated in a well-organised manner.
“Communal land is administered by communal land boards in close collaboration with recognised traditional authorities. In some cases the decisions of boards and chiefs are not taken in a fair manner hence the appeals are conducted by appeal tribunal members,” he noted.
Schlettwein further noted that the duties of communal land boards are not easy, urging members of the appeal tribunal to review decisions made by boards and ensure that such decisions were made in line with the governing statute.
The minister also called on members to declare their interests in any appeal cases assigned to them to ensure integrity and fairness when discharging their functions and complex land related issues.
“Appeal tribunal members should abide by the act of fairness in land processes, honesty, transparency and urgency. When decisions are passed timely, security of tenure will be enhanced and people will have confidence in our system, promoting genuine land administration and communal land investment,” Schlettwein said.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency