San ‘muscled out’ of Skoonheid farm

A new parliamentary report has exposed the brutal expulsion of San communities from an Omaheke Region resettlement farm allocated to them by government, with individuals from other groupings now calling the shots on the farm.

The report documents a systemic campaign of pushing the San people to the margins, a move which many say is aimed at excluding them permanently from their land.

Disgruntled community members have since claimed that they are abused and deprived of their rights by other tribes.

The community ventilated these issues to National Council chairperson Lukas Muha towards the end of last year during a community meeting.

Skoonheid, a resettlement farm in the Okorukambe constituency, is situated about 110 kilometres east of Gobabis.

The farm is currently home to droves of people and many continue to flock there to claim a piece of land for themselves, even those who do not belong to the San community.

“The chief submitted that Skoonheid resettlement farm was initially allocated to the San community, but it is not the case today. They are dominated and the farm is now inhabited by all other tribes,” the report noted.

“The community confirmed that black people who were settled in Skoonheid were temporarily placed there and were promised to be resettled once farms are secured,” it said.

The traditional leadership in the area fears that “the current arrangement is setting San people against black people”.

Losing value

According to the Kao//Aesi Traditional Authority, the farm is losing its value on a daily basis due to the influx of people.

Grazing land is also becoming a luxury as a result of overcrowding and infrastructure is allegedly being invaded by individuals without the permission of the traditional authority.

The ownership of the farm is also in limbo because the inhabitants do not have the necessary documents to prove it, the report stated.

Community members further revealed that their pleas to government to construct a clinic on the farm have fallen on deaf ears, while complaints to the presidency have also not yielded a response.

Blame govt

Okorukambe constituency councillor Rocco Nguvauva yesterday pinned the blame on government, adding: “If the San people are saying they are oppressed, then something must be done”.

“All this is a result of the line ministry which does not have a stand on the matter, one which has been coming for years. This matter existed even before I became councillor, but nothing has been done,” a disappointed Nguvauva said.

He added that he held a meeting with the traditional leadership of the area last week to discuss possible solutions to end the seemingly systematic marginalisation of the San community on their own land.

“The agenda was primarily the land. We will approach the line minister for a meeting so that the ministry can provide direction. It is simple: If this land was allocated to the San community, how can the other groups occupy the farm?” he questioned.

Otjinene youth struggles

Meanwhile, at Otjinene, San community members feel they are not valued.

“The San people are neglected and not valued. No single San person has been employed since 2017,” the report stated.

They also feel little is being done by government to address high school drop-out rates among San learners.

According to the report, the youth are left to fend for themselves because the constituency’s youth office does not host activities, while the dormant state of the Otjinene Youth Forum also adds to their woes.

They further expressed concerns because “the Harambee Prosperity Plan 121 youth enterprise for Otjinene constituency is not yet realised”.