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.

Land Delivery to the Urban Poor. Case study of Lux Development Project
Nam/343: Realities, opportunities, possibilities, synergies

Enquiries

Joe Lewis

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Summary

Document No. 1/2016
Date: July 2016

LEWIS Land Delivery to the Urban Poor. Case study of Lux Development Project Nam/343

ILMI Document No. 1/2016 Page 1 of 6

Theexperienceofthespeakerisbasedonparticipationonthesteeringcommitteeoftheproject,aswellas
throughthetrainingofsomeoftheprofessionalsinvolved.

Theaccountcontainscontributionsbytheattendantstothediscussion,someofwhichwerealsoparticipantsin
theproject.

Interventionsfromattendantsaremarkedinitalics.





Introduction

TheprojectwasmadepossiblewithsupportofLUXDevelopment,thecooperationagencyfrom
Luxemburg1.

ThelanddeliveryprojectwasaresultoftheinvolvementoftheagencyintheareaIprojectsrelatedto
theprovisionofwaterinfrastructureandsanitation.Whentheagencydevotedmoreresourcestothe
countrysmission,itbecamepossibletodevelopthelanddeliverycomponent.Theprojects
approximatebudgetintodaysequivalentwasaboutEuro9.45m(N$100min2016,approximately).
Governmentcontributedtotheprojectlargelythroughinkindcontributions.

TheprojecttookplaceinKatimaMuliloandRunduduring2007-11.

Duringthattime,theFlexibleLandTenureScheme(FLTS)wasbeingdiscussedanditwassuggested
fortheRundu-KatimaMuliloprojecttobecomeapilotonthis.Theoptionstoestablishalandrights
office,togetblockerventobecomeastartertitlescheme,andforeachofthesetobesubdividedinto
landholdschemewerediscussed,butLUXeventuallyoptednottodothisinviewsthatthethe
regulationshadnotbeenpassed,whichwasconsideredariskintheprocess.Itwasthendecidedto
undertakethedevelopmentbasedonregulartownshipestablishment.


Ontheproject

Theprojectstartedwithlittleavailablematerial.InitiallyonlySmallFormatAerialPhotography
(SFAP)mosaicmapswereavailable,whichwouldhaveyieldedtoolargeamarginoferror.Typically,if
thediscrepancybetweenthesurveyorsmapandthetownplanningschemeislarge,theSurveyor
GeneralOffice(SGO)rejectsthesubmission,whichcreatesconsiderabledelaysandincreasedcosts.
Whileanoptioncouldvebeentogenerateprofessionalbasemaps,theLUXprojectdecidedtodothe
townplanninglayoutswithsuchbasemapsanddothesurveyinginparallel.

Forthispurpose,teamswereestablishedtooperateinthedifferentextensions;eachteamincludeda
townplanner,onesurveyor,andcommunityfacilitatorselectedbytheresidentsinsettlementin
question.Theprojectfollowedageneralprincipleofkeepingthelayoutofthesettlementinitsexisting
stateasmuchaspossible.Thiswasarelativelyeasytaskinviewsthatthesettlementhappenedina
ruralsetting;hence,occupantswouldsettlehavingagriculturalconcernsinmindandtherefore
allowingamplespacebetweeninhabitantsforsmallcropsandcattle.Furthermore,LocalAuthorities
assistedinhabitantsinthesettlementprocess,allowingamplespaceformainandsecondaryroads;
evensometimesexceedingtheminimummeasurementsrequired.

1See:https://luxdev.lu/en

LEWIS Land Delivery to the Urban Poor. Case study of Lux Development Project Nam/343

ILMI Document No. 1/2016 Page 2 of 6

Theprogrammehadingeneralaninthefieldapproach:tryingtogetasmuchaspossibledoneinthe
site[ratherthanassumingfurtherworkdoneinofficethereafter].

Weretheremanyissuesregardingrelocation?

Theprojectdevelopedacompensationpolicyfortheproject.Rateswerediscussed,anditcame
aboutN$10perm2.Peoplewouldbeabletoclaimextraamountsincasetheirrelocationwould
implyfurtherimpacttotheirlivelihoods;forinstance,losingafruittreeusedforfoodor
productionpurposes,itwouldbecalculatedandthehouseholdwouldbecompensatedfortheloss.

Intotal,theprojectconsistedon66townshipextensions.Intheusualtownshipestablishmentprocess,
surveyanddraftingofGeneralPlansaredoneafterTownshipsBoardapproval.However,inthecaseof
thecurrentprojectthefollowingprocesswasfollowed:.

1. NeedandDesirabilityApplication[toNAMPAB]
2. SurveyanddraftingofGeneralPlans
3. Townshiplayoutdesign
4. TownshipsBoardapprovalofLayouts
5. ApprovalofGeneralPlans
6. Townshipproclamation
7. OpeningofTownshipRegisterinDeedsOffice
8. Saleandtransferofindividualerven


Factorsofsuccess

TheprojecthadsufficientbudgettoincentivisetheSGOwork.Aboutfivepeopleweretaskedto
dedicatetimeingettingtheprojectsapplicationsdonepromptly.Therewasalsosufficientbudgetto
coverfortheexpensesofpartiesbasedinWindhoektotraveltothesitetoaddressthematterin
question.

Allstakeholderswereinvolvedfromdayone.Theprojectmanageralsodidagoodjobinkeepingall
partiesupdatedonthelatestdevelopments,sothatwheneversomeonewascalledupontoact,itwas
relativelyeasyforthemtodosincetheywerewellacquaintedwiththeissueatstake;thiswas
particularlyusefulforapprovals.Mattersthatwouldordinarilytakefivemonths,wouldtakeonlya
fewdays.Also,partiesfeltpartoftheprojectandtherewasasenseofworkingonthesameproject,
thereforeparticipantswouldbeverycollaborative.Noonewantedtobeseenasdelayingtheprocess.

Theprojectwasdoneinparts,notasaonesinglelargepieceofland.Thisalsohelpedtokeepthework
manageable.

Thesuccessoftheprojectislargelyattributedtotheavailabilityoffundstobeabletocoverexpenses,
goodmanagementofsuchfunds,cleardeadlines;theexistenceofawell-remuneratedprojectmanager
taskedtooverseethewholeprocess;stakeholderinvolvement;andthecreationofspecialofficersto
assisttheSGO.

Wherewerethebottlenecksintheprocess?

TheSGOcouldnthaveprioritisedthesubmissionsmadebytheprojectwithoutthefundingof
specialofficerstodothis.

LEWIS Land Delivery to the Urban Poor. Case study of Lux Development Project Nam/343

ILMI Document No. 1/2016 Page 3 of 6

IntheMinistryofRegionalandLocalGovernment,Housing,andRuralDeveleopment(MRLGHRD;
todayMinistryofUrbanandRuralDevelopment,MURD)hadthenmoreplannersabletoassist
theprocess.

NAMPABandtheTownshipsBoardhadaspecialmeetingsschedulededicatedtothisproject.

Capacitywascreatedtohandlevolumes,andothercreativemeasurestoensureagilitywere
accepted.Forinstance,someproceduresweregivenago-aheadonlywithprovisionalminutes
ofthemeetingsthatwereprerequisiteinordertomoveontothenextstage.Usually,official
minutescantakeuptoamonth,andsincetheprocessissequential,itisntpossibletoadvance
withouthavingmetalltherequirementsofthepreviousstep.

Anotherkeycomponentofthisprogrammewastheeconomiesofscale:todevelop66township
extensionsinonegoallowedforcostreduction,andalsoforprioritisationagainstothersmaller
projects.Forexample,byawardingseveraladjacenttownshipextensionstothesamesurveyorand
townplanner,theunitcost(costperplot)forprofessionalfeeswerereducedsubstantially.


Replicability

Thereplicabilityofthisdependshighlyonthenatureofthesettlement:itstopographiccondition,the
settlementpatternofoccupants,theavailabilityofbulkinfrastructure,amongstotherthings.

TheinformalsettlementsinWindhoekareacaseinpoint.Thesettlementpatternissodense,thatone
wouldneedtoreduceminimumplotsizesto150or200m²;otherwise,ifthe300m²standardwouldbe
kept,abouthalfofthecurrentresidentswouldhavetore-locate.

ContrastingtheLUXprojectandtheFLTSrevealssomekeylessons:

" Theestablishmentofthelandrightsofficeisagoodinitiativetoaddalocalcomponenttoa

processthatiscurrentlyhighlycentralised.
" TheFLTSdoesntcaterforchangesinthetownshiplayout,asoncethisisfinaliseditisbevery

hardtoeffectanychanges.
" TheFLTSleavesthecostofupgradingfromleaseholdtofreeholdtoinhabitantsthemselves,

whereasLUXentailedthecostsallthewaythroughfreeholdtitles.
" IntermsoftheFLTA,thewholeprocessofformalsubdivisionortownshipestablishmentmustbe

repeatedwhenalandholdschemeisupgradedtofreehold.ThisincludesNeed&Desirablility
applicationtoNAMPAB,subdivisionapplicationtoTownshipsBoard(approvaloflayoutplans),
surveyingofGeneralPlans(GPs),approvalofGPsbytheSurveyorGeneral'sOffice,proclamation
andregistrationofthetownshipsintheDeedsOffice,andindividualerfregistrationsintheDeeds
Office.EstablishmentoflandholdschemesintermsoftheFLTAwouldhaveonlypostponedthis
(lengthyandexpensive)process,insteadofavoidingit.

" Toregisterstarter-orlandholdschemes,theinformalsettlementswouldhavetobesubdivided
intoblockerven,comprisingtypicallyof50-100plotsperblockerf.Theprocessofcreatingthese
blockerven,intermsofcurrenttownplanning,surveyinganddeedregistrationproceduresand
legislation,wouldhavetakenseveralyears.Thisprocesswouldhavetakenaslongformal
townshipestablishment-sotheFLTSwouldnotnecessarilyalwaysspeeduplanddeliverytothe
poor.

" TheFLTSprescribesthatalandholdschememaybeupgradedtofreeholdifatleast75%ofthe
schemeagreestotheupgrade,andthatthe(upto)25%whodonotagreetotheupgrade,willbe
givenplotselsewhere.The25%whodonotwanttotheupgrade,canthereforeeffectivelybe
'expropriated',whichdefeatsoneofthemainobjectivesoftheFLTA(i.e.securityoftitle).

LEWIS Land Delivery to the Urban Poor. Case study of Lux Development Project Nam/343

ILMI Document No. 1/2016 Page 4 of 6

Currentopportunities

Thereareseveralkeypiecesoflegislationthatarecurrentlyunderreview:

" FlexibleLandTenureAct.
" NewTownPlanningBill,whichcouldexpediteprocessesinvolvingNAMPABandTownships

Board;itcouldalsoallowupgradefromlandholdtofreeholdwithoutneedtoundergofull
process.

" NewDeedsRegistriesAct,whichwillremovetheneedforconveyancersinlandregistration.
" AmendedLandSurveyLegislation,whichcouldallowfortechnicalsurveyorstosubdivide

blockervenintofreeholdervenundercertainconditions;itcouldalsoallowsuchsurveyorsto
dosubdivisions,consolidationsandbeaconreplacementswithinsuchblockervenboundaries.

Furthermore,NamibiacouldgainexperiencefromSouthAfricasLessFormalTownshipEstablishment
Act(RSA).Inthisway,MURDcoulddesignateareasthatwouldbeexemptedfromcertainconditions.
ThiscouldbeincludedinthenewTownPlanningBill,forexample.


Discussion

Didthelocalteamshavethemandatetotakedecisionsontheground?

Fromtheprofessionalside,theyhadthenecessaryskillstooperatesotherewerenodelaysingetting
clarificationsfromacentralisedbodyofspecialists.

Regardingsocialmatters,thecommunityfacilitatorshadlegitimacyastheywerethemselvesproposedby
inhabitantsoftheplaceinquestion.Thesewerepartofaconflictresolutioncommittee,whichwas
headedbytheMayor.Thiscommitteehadthefacultiestofacilitatedecisionsontheground.

Thereissignificantcommunityworkthatwouldpreferablybedonebeforetheteamscometodotheir
job.

Anotherfactorthatmadeinhabitantsparticipationeasierwasthepromiseofalandtitle.Participants
weremotivated.
___

Thereshouldbe[sociological]researchdonetodetermineadequatenumberofm2perplot;otherwisethe
minimumof300m2appearsratherasanarbitrarydecision.InTanzania,researchwasdonetodeem
whether150m2wasanadequatemeasure.Ademonstrationblockwasbuilt,andaffordabilityissues
wereanalysed.Theresultofthisresearchwasusefulinchangingperceptionsofwhatanadequate
minimumerfsizeis.

Itisusefultorememberthattheminimum300m2perplotregulationappliestosingleresidentialerven
only.Ifonestartsdevelopingresidentialextensionswithothercollectiveandmixeduses,onecanhavea
widermarginfordifferentallocationofm2perhousehold.

ItwasrecentlyinthenewsthattheCityofWindhoekTownCouncilrejectedproposalstoreconsiderthe
300m2minimumerfsize.Thiscanbeahindrance.

However,projectsliketheMassUrbanLandServicingProgramme,whichhavenationalreach,shouldbe
abletoestablishtheirownconditionsinviewsoftheservicedlandscarcitycrisis.

MURDcanoverridedecisionstakenatTownCouncillevelifitconsidersthisisonthenationalinterest.

LEWIS Land Delivery to the Urban Poor. Case study of Lux Development Project Nam/343

ILMI Document No. 1/2016 Page 5 of 6

Didtheprojectmakethelandmoreaffordabletoinhabitants?

Halfofthemoneywasspentonplanningandsurveying,andtheotherhalfontheactualservicing.Itis
thefirsthalfthatcanbeseenasasubsidytotheproject.Thelandwassupposedtobeindeedsoldto
inhabitants,butonlytorecoverthecosts.Insomecases,inhabitantsonlysawadiscountofaround35%;
inothers,plotsthatwouldnormallybeofferedforN$50,000weresoldforN$10,000.Theideawasnotto
givetheseplotsaway,butfortheLocalAuthoritiestochargeafeefortheminordertoobtainresources
tocontinuerunningtheprocessevenaftertheendofthesupportofLUX.However,therealnumberof
peoplewhoeventuallyboughtthelandandcurrentlyhaveafreeholdtitletoitisratherunclear.
___

Wouldtheprojecthavebeenmoreeffectivebyjustfocusingonaccesstoservicedlandratherthanputting
effortsinproducingfreeholdtitles?

Theneedforfreeholdtitleisveryrelevant,asitcanassistinhabitantsinaccessingfinancetodevelop
entrepreneurialactivities.































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