Namibia Land Grab

[flatwater bill]

What's going on in the Khonas area in Namibia? First they send out letters to land owners that the government might want to take their land and they will hold a conference in September but then cancel it for a year. Now Jindal Steel ( Indian Owned) wants to put a 55000 hectare open pit mine in the Khonas area and then put a railroad thru the property between the mine and Windhoek. I know that this will directly effect my friends at Farm Wolfsgrund and most likely wipe out their hunting operation plus end up with them losing their farm.
Can't understand some of the stuff that goes on in those African countries.

I really feel for your friends..........losing a farm will essentially cut off their roots and in some cases their family history. I hope they will be compensated, but maybe selling now will prevent a govt. expropriation for pennies on the dollar. Many farmers, losing their farms after 4, 5 or 6 generations in Africa, look to relocate in another country. Regrettably, white Namibians have few options..................FWB

 

[BRICKBURN]

My friends are quitting due to the uncertainty with the government in Namibia. Their farm is supposed to be the center of the mining operation and as such they decided that staying is not an option. I'm sorry to see another hunting operation bite the dust. I had great times there with Kate and Kurt.

Sad news.

 

[Hank2211]

Interesting situation. If I understand it, it's possible that farm/game land may be taken in order to allow a mine to go in, and a railroad built to take the products of the mine to Windhoek (or elsewhere).

One of the roles of any government is to act in the best interests of the country, which typically means the majority of its citizens. It's entirely possible - likely certain - that a mine will create more and better paying jobs than the farms and hunting ever could, and that royalties paid for minerals mined will provide a long term source of income for the resource owner (which here happens to be the government). In cases such as this, so long as reasonable compensation is paid for land taken, it may be difficult to find much to be critical of.

Governments in Canada and the US I(and I believe in Europe as well) have similar powers, and exercise them with some regularity, ostensibly in the best interests of the nation. This is hardly unique to Africa.

As difficult as it may be for those of us who love wild places, it's hard to argue with "progress" in the form of good jobs, as well as increased taxes and royalties. One option would be to ensure that hunting has as much value as a mine, but that's never going to happen. People need jobs, and governments, even non-corrupt ones (and Namibia is one of the better ones in Africa), need money. It was ever thus.

 

[Rick Cox]

This sounds like what happens in most countries. The state has the power to scoop your land - typically done for mining, highways and the like. Usually, the state has to pay fair value, whatever the heck that it. . A friend of mine built his dream home here in Canada only to learn that a corner of his lot was being used for a new highway bypass. A bit of land is worth something, but the entire dream home experience is somewhat eroded by the presence of a highway.

An old trapper/guide and outfitter friend of mine had his livelihood destroyed by the Tumbler Ridge project. Nobody compensated him for it, the railway said it was up to Tech Corp, Tech corp said it should be the government etc. But then he had only been there since a little after the end of WW2.

 

[edward]

I just want to buy about a thousand hectares in Namibia to retire too. Even more so now that the NFL has gone to the dawgs. Somewhere about two hours north of Windhoek would be fine.

what would be your daily routine?