20 March 2009
Windhoek — "Erindi is not a farm, but a game reserve", said an emotional Gert Joubert, the owner of the 70 000 hectare Erindi Game Reserve near Omaruru.
"This is not a typical Boer farm you find in Gobabis with three goats and a farmer sitting under a tree drinking beer," said Joubert on Sunday in a heated response to a remark by Prime Minister Nahas Angula that the reserve was too big to be owned by one person. Angula made the remarks in parliament last week.
"Firstly, I am not a foreigner. I spend half of my time in Namibia and the other half in South Africa," said Joubert, clarifying that he was not an absentee landlord.
"Now I am an African, a white African. I love Africa and I want to live in Africa. I understand the people of Africa and my French Huguenot roots call me to duty to help those of this continent. But now I am the bad foreigner in the Namibian parliament," Joubert said.
Joubert said he was making a positive contribution to the development of the country and has promised 20% of Erindi to be held in a trust for the workers and their children when Erindi becomes profitable in five years. The game reserve employs 150 workers at the moment.
"We personally have not made a profit on Erindi for the past 15 years. I have pumped in millions and millions of Namibian dollars to the tune of N$50 million over the last three years alone," he said. Erindi has 50 vehicles, aeroplanes and helicopters.
Commenting on land reform, Joubert said the government has up to now been hugely successful in achieving the desired goals on land reform.
"To my knowledge, the majority of commercial farmers today at Grootfontein, Tsumeb, Otavi and elsewhere are previously disadvantaged people.
I went to see officials in the Ministry of Lands and they assured me that not one of the sellers was unhappy enough to utilise the appeal process that is stipulated by law.
"I want to point out that land reform in the present is disadvantaging the previously disadvantaged commercial farmers. They sit on commercial land that is not assessed to the real market values due to land reform. A farm in Tsumeb should not be worth N$300 per hectare but should be worth N$3000 to N$5000 per hectare. This robs the previously disadvantaged owner of collateral on an average of 5000 hectares, about N$20 million," he said.
"Let the people sell their farms to whomever is willing to pay the highest price, and, if it is a foreigner, take 20% tax on the selling price and you will generate far more money than you presently receive from the government. You will also create far more wealth in Namibia," said Joubert.
On comments attributed to the Minister of Justice, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, in the local press in which she was reported as saying that the land reform process in Zimbabwe had been a success. Joubert said he believed Iivula-Ithana was misquoted. "I personally, I don't believe the minister said that. No person with an education higher than that of primary school would exemplify Zimbabwe as an example of democracy, civil rights, freedom of speech or its economy as a success," he said.
Joubert revealed that the Erindi Game Reserve will be listed soon on the stock exchange for anybody to buy shares.
"But before I can do that, I must first produce profit to have the shares listed at its full value for employees."
Erindi, translated as "The Place of Water" in local Herero, with more than 12 000 head of game over an unbelievably large game reserve even has rare and endangered species such as rhinos and wild dogs.
The Game Reserve is also involved in leopard research, eco-friendly projects as well as rehabilitation projects.
The Old Traders Lodge provides the accommodation at Erindi and consists of the main dining room and viewing deck as well as 35 suites that all have views of a water hole.
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