Allexer Namundjembo
Supreme Court judge Shafimana Ueitele was granted a land tax exemption by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform on the basis that he falls within the category of a former disadvantaged person as articulated under Article 23 of the Constitution.
This explanation was given by the agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein in parliament last week when he was responding to questions posed to him by Popular Democratic Movement parliamentarian, Hidipo Hamata.
“Secondly, it is justified as the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic, or educational imbalances in Namibian society arising out of past discriminatory laws or practices,” said Schlettwein.
Hamata asked Schlettwein to clarify the terms and regulations used to exempt Uitele from paying land tax.
Schlettwein said that his office adhered to all legal procedures.
He added that the process of applying for and granting land tax exemptions is initiated prior to the granting of the exemptions.
“On 29 April 2022 the ministry issued a public notice informing farm owners about land tax assessments for the years 2016/17 to 2020/21, with payments due by 31 March 2024. Farm owners eligible for exemption were encouraged to apply by the same deadline,” Schlettwein added.
Schlettwein said that the land tax records indicate that during the financial years 2018/2019 and 2020/2021, Ueitele applied for land tax exemption and was granted in respect to Farm No. 933 measuring 4867 hectares situated in Registration Division “L in the Omaheke Region.
“It should also be noted that in the financial year 2019/2020, with the approval of the National Assembly, it was agreed to impose a zero tax rating on all agricultural commercial farms to ameliorate the negative impacts due to Covid-19” Schlettwein said.
He added that land tax records indicate that a total of 2272 formerly disadvantaged Namibians applied for and were granted land tax exemptions over four financial years: 568 in 2016/2017, 569 in 2017/2018, 569 in 2018/2019, and 566 in 2020/2021.
The land tax exemption for Judge Uitele came under scrutiny after Affirmative Repositioning leader, Job Amupanda, accused him of bias in the Red Line court case.
The case where the continued application of the veterinary cordon fence is challenged, was set down for 27 March when Judge Uitele is expected to hand his ruling in the matter.
