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3d9d278f-36c2-4d07-8141-23ac15023d55

Govt to repossess disputed youth-run farm

Elizabeth Kheibes
The government is in the process of repossessing a resettlement farm it had leased to a youth group due to the latter’s alleged failure to obtain the necessary permission before entering into a lease agreement with a third party and due to claims that those in charge did so for personal gain.

The agriculture, water and land reform ministry leased the farm to the Wisdom Youth Organisation (WIYO) for 99 years in 2015, with the lease conditions stating that "entering into any partnership or subleasing will result in the immediate repossession of the farm".

Minister Calle Schlettwein yesterday told Namibian Sun that the ministry is in the process of repossessing the farm, situated in the Otjozondjupa Region, after repeatedly asking for relevant documentation - requesting permission to sublet the farm - from the WIYO chairperson.

"The ministry decided to inform the organisation that its lease agreement is terminated due to several and repeated defaults by [WIYO]. Subsequently, [WIYO] took the matter to the Land Tribunal. The Land Tribunal made an order setting aside our decision to terminate the lease, which we have implemented. However, we are appealing the decision of the Land Tribunal," he said.

‘Clinging to power’

The farm is also at the centre of a protracted dispute between WIYO members, with some claiming that the organisation’s chairman Fredrik Haixwa is clinging to power illegally “because we already voted for his removal”.

Members of the management committee claim that for years, Haixwa has disregarded them and has allegedly - on countless occasions - entered into financial partnerships with people for personal gain. "We used to attend meetings every Sunday at the Ombili Community Centre and then suddenly he [Haixwa] stopped the meetings. We then found out he received N$100 000 from the National Youth Council. He then went into a partnership with a Chinese company, Zhangzagu Agriculture Technology, without our knowledge, who then started setting up themselves on the farm," the group said in a letter.

Haixwa refused to comment on the matter, and instead instructed another member of the organisation, Rakutuka Kaurimuye, to respond to Namibian Sun's queries.

‘Bitter’

According to Kaurimuye, the aggrieved members were dismissed years ago and are now 'bitter' about the success and growth of the farm so far. "It is odd that you would believe lies from members who have been dismissed or are no longer a part of the organisation for some other reason. They are bitter because of the growth on the farm,” he said.

“We have seven cattle and have started planting tomatoes and watermelons on the farm. The cattle are mostly used for manure production to cultivate the soil," he added.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-09

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Katima Mulilo: 24° | 36° Rundu: 19° | 33° Eenhana: 21° | 28° Oshakati: 21° | 27° Ruacana: 21° | 32° Tsumeb: 19° | 23° Otjiwarongo: 18° | 28° Omaruru: 19° | 31° Windhoek: 18° | 28° Gobabis: 19° | 30° Henties Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 02:25, High tide: 09:15, Low Tide: 15:48, High tide: 22:00 Swakopmund: 15° | 16° Wind speed: 20km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 02:23, High tide: 09:13, Low Tide: 15:46, High tide: 21:58 Walvis Bay: 15° | 22° Wind speed: 27km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 02:23, High tide: 09:12, Low Tide: 15:46, High tide: 21:57 Rehoboth: 18° | 30° Mariental: 21° | 33° Keetmanshoop: 20° | 35° Aranos: 20° | 33° Lüderitz: 14° | 23° Ariamsvlei: 21° | 36° Oranjemund: 14° | 20° Luanda: 25° | 26° Gaborone: 18° | 27° Lubumbashi: 17° | 33° Mbabane: 14° | 32° Maseru: 14° | 23° Antananarivo: 15° | 31° Lilongwe: 20° | 29° Maputo: 19° | 34° Windhoek: 18° | 28° Cape Town: 16° | 22° Durban: 18° | 27° Johannesburg: 17° | 26° Dar es Salaam: 25° | 31° Lusaka: 19° | 34° Harare: 17° | 32° Currency: GBP to NAD 22.66 | EUR to NAD 18.84 | CNY to NAD 2.45 | USD to NAD 17.59 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.25 | EGP to NAD 0.35 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.64 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.06 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 133.16 | USD to AOA 909.05 | USD to BWP 13.4 | USD to EGP 49.25 | USD to KES 129.2 | USD to NGN 1664.84 | USD to ZAR 17.58 | USD to ZMW 27.2 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1851.79 Down -1.41% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14663.22 Up +1.21% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 31267.47 Up +0.72% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 684.46/OZ DOWN -0.0083 | Copper US$ 4.30/lb DOWN -0.027 | Zinc US$ 3 003.50/T UP 0.17% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 74.29/BBP DOWN -0.0215 | Platinum US$ 969.80/OZ DOWN -0.0274 Sport results: Weather: Katima Mulilo: 24° | 36° Rundu: 19° | 33° Eenhana: 21° | 28° Oshakati: 21° | 27° Ruacana: 21° | 32° Tsumeb: 19° | 23° Otjiwarongo: 18° | 28° Omaruru: 19° | 31° Windhoek: 18° | 28° Gobabis: 19° | 30° Henties Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 19km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 02:25, High tide: 09:15, Low Tide: 15:48, High tide: 22:00 Swakopmund: 15° | 16° Wind speed: 20km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 02:23, High tide: 09:13, Low Tide: 15:46, High tide: 21:58 Walvis Bay: 15° | 22° Wind speed: 27km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 02:23, High tide: 09:12, Low Tide: 15:46, High tide: 21:57 Rehoboth: 18° | 30° Mariental: 21° | 33° Keetmanshoop: 20° | 35° Aranos: 20° | 33° Lüderitz: 14° | 23° Ariamsvlei: 21° | 36° Oranjemund: 14° | 20° Luanda: 25° | 26° Gaborone: 18° | 27° Lubumbashi: 17° | 33° Mbabane: 14° | 32° Maseru: 14° | 23° Antananarivo: 15° | 31° Lilongwe: 20° | 29° Maputo: 19° | 34° Windhoek: 18° | 28° Cape Town: 16° | 22° Durban: 18° | 27° Johannesburg: 17° | 26° Dar es Salaam: 25° | 31° Lusaka: 19° | 34° Harare: 17° | 32° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 22.66 | EUR to NAD 18.84 | CNY to NAD 2.45 | USD to NAD 17.59 | DZD to NAD 0.13 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.25 | EGP to NAD 0.35 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.64 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.06 | RUB to NAD 0.18 | INR to NAD 0.21 | USD to DZD 133.16 | USD to AOA 909.05 | USD to BWP 13.4 | USD to EGP 49.25 | USD to KES 129.2 | USD to NGN 1664.84 | USD to ZAR 17.58 | USD to ZMW 27.2 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index Same 0 | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1851.79 Down -1.41% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 14663.22 Up +1.21% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 31267.47 Up +0.72% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 684.46/OZ DOWN -0.0083 | Copper US$ 4.30/lb DOWN -0.027 | Zinc US$ 3 003.50/T UP 0.17% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 74.29/BBP DOWN -0.0215 | Platinum US$ 969.80/OZ DOWN -0.0274