The president and Executive Manager of the NAU, Derek Wright and Sakkie Coetzee last week paid a courtesy call to the Minister of Land Reform, Utoni Nujoma.

Wright gave a summary of the NAU’s involvement at land reform process since Independence to Nujoma. This includes inter alia the drafting of documents, negotiations about legal aspects which include the Land Bill and land valuations, training of emerging farmers as well as the involvement of job creation projects at resettlement farms.

Nujoma expressed his appreciation towards the NAU for this involvement and mentioned that the NAU is a partner in establishing a successful and sustainable land reform process in Namibia. Nujoma also expressed his willingness to, just as his predecessor Alpheus !Naruseb, give the NAU the opportunity to continue with this cooperation.

The following points which enjoy the NAU management’s serious attention is the question of land tax which is still based on the 2007 Valuation Rolls, the speedy tabling of the Land Bill which hopefully will address the shortcomings in the current legislation with regard to inter alia inheritance and the legal validity of the price negotiation committee with a withdrawal clause. According to Nujoma the Draft Bill is currently at the Attorney General and should be going soon through the channels for submission to the National Assembly and National Council.