Zebaldt Ngaruka
OZOMBOUVAPA – Swapo’s Okorukambe constituency councillor Rocco Nguvauva has urged the government to speed up the implementation of resolutions taken at the second national land conference seven years ago.
Without some of the resolutions in force, farmworkers have been exposed to exploitation, and left at the mercy of farm owners.
Late in 2023, it was reported that only 25 of the 169 resolutions taken at the 2018 land indaba had been fully-implemented, according to a draft progress report on the second national land conference.
The resolutions emanated from five thematic areas.
Ironically, 16 resolutions were already in place before the 2018 assembly, meaning they were adopted at the maiden land conference in 1992.
Since the conference, the government’s position has consistently been that most of the resolutions are covered by the Land Bill, which is yet to be tabled in the National Assembly.
Speaking to New Era, Nguvauva said it is time for the implementation of the resolutions.
He said foreign nationals continue to enjoy Namibia’s opulence, including land, while the citizens suffer.
“We had a second land conference where we resolved that only one farm per citizen could accommodate others, and no foreigners must own land in Namibia,” Nguvauva said.
He asked why the resolutions taken at the land conference have not been implemented yet.
“We must not come here and sleep on duty. If we are tired, we must go home, rest, and let the fit ones come and work to better the lives of Namibians,” he said.
He demanded the expropriation of farms that are not complying with Namibian laws.
He pointed out to Farm Koekemoer in Omaheke, where abuse of employees is allegedly the order of the day.
“I call on the president-elect, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, to intervene in the matter, and rescue poor farmworkers who are landless in their motherland,” Nguvauva said.
Meanwhile, a former employee at Koekermoer told this publication he was asked by his previous employer who had reported him to the media.
Last year alone, Nguvauva received around 70 complaints of farmworker evictions.
“These farmers are firing workers left and right with impunity, and that is a very disturbing issue. It is very disturbing to see fellow Namibians being pushed outb and dumbed on corridors after spending most of their lives working at those farms,” said Nguvauva, a unionist-turned-politician.
He added: “Even as constituency councillor, I am not allowed to intervene. When I interceded, the employers ran to their union, NAU, to stop us from interfering in labour matters,” he said.
“Enough is enough; something must be done about this private property ownership. These people enjoy their rights, and mistreat workers because they know they are on private land,” he said.
Approached for comment on the unfair labour practices allegations, Gert Koekemoer, the owner of Farm Koekemoer, wanted to know the names of the workers who reported the matter to the councillor.
Koekemoer further asked why the complainants did not report the matter to the labour inspectors, before hanging up his phone.
Attempts to get comment from the Labour Ministry proved futile, as email messages sent to them have not been responded to since last year.
-zngaruka@yahoo.com