Integrated Land Management Institute (ILMI)
Land, Livelihoods and Housing Programme 2015-18

The Integrated Land Management Institute is a centre of the Faculty of Natural Resources
Spatial Sciences (FNRSS) at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) committed
to develop reputable and multidisciplinary research and public outreach activities in the field of
land, administration, property, architecture and spatial planning.

The Land, Livelihoods and Housing Programme aims at deepening and expanding the focus
on these three key issues in Namibia. The programme was developed to guide ILMIs activities by
organising it in four aspects: institutional, environmental, fiscal and spatial processes.

The new Flexible Land Tenure Act:
an update.

Enquiries:
Mr Åse Christensen

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Summary

+264 61 207 2306
+264 61 207 9306
achristensen@nust.na
ilmi.nust.na

Document No. 2/2015
Date: October 2015

CHRISTENSEN The new flexible land tenure act: an update

ILMI Document No. 2/2015 Page 1 of 5

Background

TheFlexibleLandTenure(FLT)systemwasdevelopedbytheMinistryofLandsandResettlementand
thediscussionsstartedintheperiodof1992-1998.Itwasconceivedasanalternativeforlandtenure
catering for low-incomegroups.At that time,apilotwasalsodeveloped.During these initialphases
after independence, the issue of migration to cities was critical, and this scheme emerged in this
context.

Fromtheacademicperspective,theideaofsuchsystemisinlinewiththetheoryofawell-functioning
cadastralsystem.However,inthecaseofSub-SaharanAfrica,thisisnotalwaysthecase.Inthecaseof
Namibia,thepresuppositionwasthatthiscouldbethecase.

TheActwasonlypassed in2012.Theregulationshavebeensubmitted to the legalauditorgeneral.
Thefirstpilotstobeimplementedaftertheacthasbeenpassedhavenotbeendefined,butitistobe
seenhow this systemworksnow that a significant portionofNamibias urban fabric ismadeupof
informalsettlements.

With the FLT, only external boundaries of the block are registered by a paraprofessional. If one
already owns land elsewhere, one cant apply for FLT. Only natural persons can apply, and only
individualsexceptinthecaseofbeingmarriedincommunityofproperty.

ThefocusoftheFLTsystemisonempowerment.Thesystemallowsforformalizationof landtitling.
Thisisbasedonideasofproperty,whichcanberegisteredandthencanlaterbetraded.

Theregistrationsystemissetupinsuchawaythatitcanbeupgradedtofullownership,anditisalso
meanttoco-existwithsuchfull-titledlandregistration.


Comments

In principle, it can also be applicable to rural areas, but it would require some modifications. It
couldvebeendevelopedasaunitarysystementailingbothruralandurban,butthiswasnotthecase.

As it stands, the FLT system applies to proclaimed areas, and cant be applied to traditional and
communalareasjurisdiction.

WiththeestablishmentofthelandrightsofficesthroughtheFLTsystem,communallandshouldalso
beabletoprofitfromthis.

Theso-calledstartertitledoesnotprovidefullproperty,butsuchtitlecanbetransferred,itenables
therighttodevelop,andgivesprotectionagainsteviction.

Currently, theMunicipalitiesmainengagement in informalsettlements isthroughslumupgrading,
butlandtenureremainsleasehold,asownershipremainsunderthemunicipality.Insomecases,such
rentbecomesopen-ended,withoutnecessarily leading to tenure. Insome instances,Municipalities
dontallowforimprovementsmadetotheland,becausetheownershipstayswiththemandtherefore
thepossibilityofmoving/displacingatenantbecomeslessiffurtherimprovements(e.g.erectionofa
building)aremadetothelandbytheoccupant.

The keydifferencebetween thehighest fromof tenure, i.e. freehold, and theFLT, is the capacity to
mortgagetheland.However,thelandholdtitlecanbeupgradedtofreeholdeventually.

CHRISTENSEN The new flexible land tenure act: an update

ILMI Document No. 2/2015 Page 2 of 5

The Shackdwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) and the Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG)
haveappliedsomeoftheprinciplesoftheFLTsysteminanumberofcases.AccordingtoAnnaMüller,
headoftheNHAG,manybeneficiariesarealreadycapableofupgradingtofreehold.

However,fullimplementationisnotthere,sincetheactwasonlypassedrecently.


Challenges

Someof the stakeholdersneed further trainingwith respectof implementingFLT;particularly local
authorities.

TheNGOs(i.e.NHAG,LegalAssistanceCentre)havebeensupportive,howeversomelocalauthorities
haveshownsomeresistancetofullimplementation.

Another challenge is the jurisdiction between ministries. The Ministry of Lands and Resettlement
(MLR) is theonedevelopingFLT,but themainbeneficiaryremains theMinistryofUrbanandRural
Development(MURD).

The legal frame has been developed in a period of fifteen years, andmany socio-spatial conditions
havechangedsincethem.


Discussion

ItmustbeclarifiedthattheFLTsystemstartswithanapplication,itisavoluntarysysteminitiatedby
aninterestedparty;thiscanbeacurrentlandowner,alocalauthority,oranorganisation.

Capacity should be developed at the local authorities level, but also theres a need to bring more
supportstafftorunthisprojectsuccessfully.

Thereisaconcernthatthissystemisdevelopedasaninferiortenuresystemforthealowerclasses,
whilekeepingfreeholdasthedomainofupperclasses.Isntthiscreatingatieredsystemthatmight
notleadtointegrationbuttheopposite?

Itsunclearwhoschampioningthis initiative; is it theMLR?Is itNHAG/SDFN?Withoutachampion,
resistanceandconfusionwillprevail.

Its also important to keep in mind that FLT is a tool, and that if its not used it will remain not
operational.Newproposalsneed tobedevelopedbasedon theFLT system:newplanning schemes,
newarchitecture,etc.

A comment on the word parallel system: its not parallel, because FLT registries ultimately are
submittedtothedeedsoffice,soitsnotdisconnectedfromthemaintenuresystem.

Regarding the rule that FLT does not allow for ownership of two plots, how is the issue of
enforceabilitybeingdealtwith?Ifonehaslandinthecommunalareasthatisnotregistered,howcan
thisbemonitored?

ThereisalsotheconcernoftheFLTsystembeingashortcutforspeculativedevelopmentsthatwantto
bypassthefullprocedurethatfreeholdtenurerequires.

CHRISTENSEN The new flexible land tenure act: an update

ILMI Document No. 2/2015 Page 3 of 5

Themethodologyoftheso-calledparaprofessionalsisnotspecified,andthereferenceindeveloping
theirfunctionswasbasedonfullprofessionals.

Thereisalsoaneedfordigitalisationoftheregistrationsysteminordertoensureenforceabilitywith
regardstoavoidingcurrentlandownersapplyingforFLT.

ThereseemstobeanoutspokenaimtoavoidspeculationwithinFLT,whyso?Arelowerclassesnot
allowedtoprofitfromlandtenurelikeeverybodyelsedoes?

Fromthesideof thedevelopers:whywouldonego forFLT insteadof fullownershipschemes?The
differenceisinthecosts,whichwouldallowloweringcostsofhousingdevelopments.

Therearealreadysome loopholespresent in thecurrent legislation,but thebestwouldbetorather
focusonimplementationratherthancontinuedelayingthis.

There is a concern regardingwhether such system is indeeduseful for anewkindofplanning.The
exampleof theDRC settlement in Swakopmund is a goodexample: itwasdeveloped in anexpedite
manner,buttheplanningwassofixedthatnowitishardtoupgradeandthemostlikelysolutionwill
be to completely redevelop the area. Isnt FLT-based developments encouraging a speedy process
wherebyplanningisdisregarded?

FLTdoesnotcircumventplanningprocedures,sotheplanningwouldstillfollowitscurrentcourse.

TheemphasisontheFLTisonsecurityofpermanence,howtoensurethatthoseinhabitingacertain
areacanbeallowedtoremainwheretheyarewithoutmakingthisdependentonfullownership,which
isexpensiveandthereforeexclusive.

Theempowermentcomponent iskey,andthisneedstobehighlighted.Landasadevice forpoverty
eradication is something that has been tried elsewhere, withmixed results. Many titling programs
simplyencouragedbeneficiariestosellormortgagetheirland;manylosttheirlandinthisway,ending
upworseoffthanbeforesuchpovertyeradicationprogrammes!

The definition of empowerment needs to be clarified. The World Bank maybe is satisfied with a
definition of empowerment equalling property and economic affluence, but this is limited and has
provenfalseinmanyinstances.

Isthereamoreefficientwaytoempowerpeoplethanlandtitling?Perhapsthedeliveryofservicescan
beanevenbetterwaytodosoifoneagreesthatempowermentisthemainaim.

Oneshouldalsokeepinmindwhattheselowincomegroupsactuallywant.Manyinitiatives fail to
engagewith them, and take for granted their priorities. Perhaps itwould be relevant to see if land
titlingisindeedsomethingrelevanttolow-incomegroupstoday,orwhetherthishaschanged.

Ausefuldefinitionofempowermentisthecapacitytomakeyourowndecisions.

OneshouldalsomentionthemisusesofFLT,asitcanbeusedtocircumventdensityrequirementsand
overhaulsomeregulatorysystemsinplace.

A question is how can FLT be useful to develop new spatial paradigms, which furthermore enable
professionalstoengagewithinformality,whichatthemomentisfarfrombeingthecase.

CurrentlytheFLTdoesnotmakementiononserviceprovision,whichiskeywhentalkingaboutland
alternatives.

CHRISTENSEN The new flexible land tenure act: an update

ILMI Document No. 2/2015 Page 4 of 5

ItisimportanttounderstandthescalethatFLTproponentshadinmindwhendevelopingthescheme:
wasitintendedforuseonlyattheblockscale,oratatownshipextensionscale?

Currently,themostrealisticscaletoimplementFLTisattheblocklevel.This,however,stilldepends
onlocalauthorities.

Architecturally, itwouldbe interesting to start imaginingwhichdifferenthousing typologies canbe
developedbytakingtheFLTschemeasabasis.

Onealsoneeds tokeep inmindwho is themainbeneficiarywhenhaving thisdiscussion,whichare
peoplelivinginshacks.Manydonthavesanitationoptions,anddesperatesituationswithregardsto
labouraremostlythecase.

AnAct is a frame; its not a full solution. Innovationmust take on from such initiative and provide
inventivesolutionsthatareactuallyuseful.

For developers, such scheme could be useful in developing workers housing, which is often of a
temporarynature(e.g.mining,construction).FLTcouldprovidecertainsecurityinalimitedperiodof
time,andthenallowformovingonwithoutcompromisingsecurityofpermanence.

























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ILMI is a research centre at the Faculty of Natural Resources and Spatial Sciences (FNRSS) at the
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