A group of marginalised communities residing at Farm Skoonheid in the Omaheke Region blame the government for failing to develop the area and improve their living standards.

This includes the right to own farming land, the late supply of food support, and the lack of any health facilities.

They said this during a meeting with the Office of the Ombudsman at the farm.

Skoonheid resettlement farm chairperson Alfons Jors stated that the biggest challenge facing the community is their status as illegal occupants.

They claimed that the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform has failed to present them with an allotment letter to justify their use of the land.

Jors says this prevents the community from accessing basic services and loans from financial institutions.

The Chairperson further stated that Skoonheid has been invaded by other Namibians, and this affects their agricultural practises.

"We have a land issue, the land since it was bought, and up until now we don't even have our rightful rights as a San community, which they will point out to us and say we bought a farm for you. We are just going through land and services that we want to get, but not enough like they should give us.

The Ombudsman, Basilius Dyakugha, assured the communities that all challenges presented will be channelled through the relevant authorities, as one of the mandates of his office is to ensure that all Namibians are treated equally, irrespective of their race.

"The ministry of lands and marginalised division, my office is actually having a strategy there to develop similar arrangements with that the specific ministry will set up regular meetings with those line ministries, and this will even be established with the ministry of home affairs because countrywide there are a lot of problems."

The Ombudsman also stated that his office would appoint someone to deal with matters pertaining to marginalised communities.

The councillor of Okorukambe Constituency, under which Skoonheid Farm falls, Rocco Nguvauva, told nbc News that the matter of farm ownership will soon be resolved.

Nguvauva called for authorities dealing with the plight of marginalised communities to consider a livestock project there to help alleviate poverty.

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Ngarije Kavari