The Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation published a list of about 4300 landowners who allegedly did not complete the verification forms for the purpose of valuating the properties to determine land tax.

The Ministry provided the list prior to the publication in the local newspapers to the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) which is very much appreciated.

A preliminary investigation indicated that there are mainly four reasons why the list comprises about 4300 names. The reasons are:

- the information on second and third properties as completed on page two of the verification form might not have been registered in their office

- that consolidation of properties (which originally referred to (say) two or three Title Deeds and consolidated into Certificate of Consolidated Title) have not been registered

- Registration Division M, and specifically the Rehoboth area accounts for about 2160 of the farms and portions of farms that did not complete the verification form. Due to the history of subdivision of land in the Rehoboth Gebied, it should be treated separately from other Registration Divisions to provide a more representative picture and

- a lot of the Title Deeds refer to small portions of land (which might have been included in Certificated or Consolidated Titles) or situated in Townlands. Owners of these portions of land probably regarded it not as farmland and therefore neglected to complete the forms.

This information has already been communicated to the Ministry on September 5, 2003.

The Union confirms that 95% of its members already completed and returned the verification forms.

Notwithstanding the above background, the NAU appeals to all landowners whose names appear on the list as published in the newspapers, to complete the verification forms and send it back to the Ministry before October 31, 2003.

The list of specific registration division has been forwarded to the regional officer of the NAU together with verification forms. Farmers can therefore contact their local farmers‘ association or office of the Regional Agricultural Union for further information.

With this service, the NAU would like to assist the Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation to complete the process of verification as determined by the Commercial Land Reform Act.