Tsintsabis – The ministry of land reform will as of next week start issuing allotment letters to Tsintsabis residents, 28 years after they were resettled on the piece of land.
The ministry will issue allotment letters to 51 residents who were initially resettled upon acquisition of the farm in 1992, as part of phase one, following the formal proclamation of the settlement this year.
The second phase will include those who were illegally allocated or settled on the land.
The new developments, which were applauded by the community as long overdue, were announced by the land reform ministry director for resettlement and regional programme implementation, Alfred Sikopo.
“All problems of Tsintsabis will be resolved by the ministry; we do have a list of the earliest people resettled as well as a map. Therefore, that is why we are here today so you can help us in identifying and verifying legitimate people resettled. If there are incidents of people claiming to own same plots, let us hear it so that we solve it before we put names in the newspaper for objections,” stressed Sikopo.
The allotment will be handled in two phases, with the second to be expedited after a thorough consultative process with the regional council, traditional authority and community.
“There will be no more delays on this process. We will also get identification numbers from home affairs so that allotments can be issued by the minister. Thereafter, it can assist relatives to inherit land because it is legitimate,” he added.
The meeting was prompted after scores of people infiltrated the farm illegally, making it difficult to establish the legitimate owners of the land.
The traditional authority has also been accused of selling farmland.
Without allotments, residents were unable to develop the land.
A similar meeting will be held at farm Oerwoud, about 10km from Tsintsabis, where tracts of farmland have also been sold.
Thus, the ministry a fortnight ago said it was left with no option but to provide allotment letters to all on the land because it was now complicated, as some have made tremendous improvements to the property.
Sikopo also told residents that Tsintsabis will be divided into two portions, one being that of a settlement under the Ministry of Urban and Rural
Development through the regional council, while the other would be under the auspices of the land reform ministry.
“Those who aspire to do farming can remain on the other portions for future activities, while those with no intentions can fall on the settlement side to get plots,” he reiterated.
- osimasiku@nepc.com.na