Secretary to Cabinet, Frans Kapofi, has acknowledged that he owns more than 5000 hectares of private land in a communal area under the jurisdiction of the Mbunza Traditional Authority in the Kavango region.

The acknowledgement comes in the wake of a high-level investigation by the Ministry of Lands into the dealings of high-ranking officials who have fenced off large tracts of land in communal areas. Lands Minister, Alfeus !Naruseb recently announced that no stone will be left unturned in getting to the facts about officials who have illegally acquired land in the communal land at the expense of the pastoralist farmers in the northern areas.
It is reported that many farmers are struggling to find pastures and water for their animals as a result of large tracts of grazing areas and water points having been fenced off as private farms. The argument is that with their hefty salaries high-ranking officials qualify for bank loans to acquire commercial land north of the red line.
Kapofi did not did dispute the fact that he owns vast areas of land in the communal areas. “I have owned that land since 1996 where I have a small herd of cattle. I have a leasehold of 99 years. Since my application in 1995 the land was surveyed by government and the Kavango Land Board and was approved by the Mbunza Traditional Authority. I also have a certificate approved by the Ministry of Lands.”
“I never relocated anybody. It was a virgin land. When I went there the area was not inhabited by cattle. I was the first to herd cattle in that area,” a confident Kapofi told Informanté. The Cabinet Secretary insists that the land he acquired is designated farming land located in a semi-commercial farming area in the Mbunza area.
Asked about the investigation of high ranking officials who have fenced off large tracts of communal land he retorted: “Who is investigating me? The Ministry has surveyed and approved the leasehold certificate.” He said he did not have any property five years after he returned from exile and he sought out virgin land, where he is now producing cattle.
“My conscience is clear on the matter. In 1995 the Affirmative Action AgriBank loans were not in existence. I did not even own a house in Windhoek or any land anywhere in Namibia,” said Kapofi, pointing out that the Lands Ministry approved all the necessary documents for his private acquisition of communal land.
Lands Minister, Alfeus !Naruseb, said in a statement recently that “Section 23 of the Communal Land Reform Act No.5 of 2002, stipulates that no person is entitled to be allocated and to acquire any customary land right in respect of communal land which exceeds the maximum size which the Minister of Lands and Resettlement in consultation with the Minister responsible for Agricultural Affairs may prescribe...”
He said 20 hectares is the limit which traditional authorities may allocate. Applications above 20 hectares are referred to his Ministry for approval. A legal customary land right-holder or land lease-holder does not need any authorisation to erect a fence if he/she wishes to fence off homesteads, cattle pen, crop field or private water troughs within his/her residence.
More than 70% of the population resides in communal areas.