Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president, McHenry Venaani, said the party is fully behind the idea of removing the Veterinary Cordon Fence (Red Line) in order for northern communal farmers to benefit economically.
Venaani said this on Thursday during a press conference held here at the party’s head office while providing an update on the outcomes of the party’s recently-held policy conference and election review.
He said the conference adopted that there is a need for structural removal of the red line with a “buffer zone” that should be built at the borders of Namibia and Angola, and a fence that will create not only a physical barrier but a fiscal one as well. However, it should not withhold communal farmers from being absorbed into the economy, and be environment friendly.
“The question of the buffer zone between Namibia and Angola was one of the very first 20 priorities of the PDM leadership. So, we were very strong at the policy conference by saying that the red line must be removed, but we must build a buffer zone between Namibia and Angola,” said Venaani.
He added that there is a need to conduct an independent land audit in the country, because one of the biggest challenges on the land debate is a lack of “congruent data” which can justify expropriation. Because recent statistics by the Namibia Statistics Agency suggest that 70 per cent of agricultural land is owned by white Namibians whereas the Namibia Agricultural Union puts the figure closer to 55 per cent and the Willem Odendaal Report suggested it was only 29 per cent in 2010.
“It is therefore imperative that government funds an independent land audit in order to provide the public with accurate figures. Furthermore, the relevant legislation must be reviewed to target absent and foreign landlords. Foreign-owned land is of great concern to the PDM. Valuable agricultural land is being largely under-utilised by foreigners who use these properties as holiday destinations or for tax purposes and these farms should be expropriated with just compensation as a matter of urgency,” stated Venaani.
He further added that amendments to the legislation should be done to prevent foreigners from acquiring land through dubious means in Namibia.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
