An amount of more than N$10.48 million was collected through agricultural land tax for the 2021/2022 financial year.
This is according to the agriculture, water and land reform ministry’s spokesperson Teopolina Tuyeni, who said this is the revenue collected from land tax for the 2021/2022 financial year from commercial farmers after land tax assessments were issued.
The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) said the due date for payment of land tax for the 2016/2017 financial years and for 2020 was 31 October last year.
“Postponement for payment of the incorrectly calculated assessments for the financial years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 was granted until 31 December 2022 by the ministry to provide the land-reform directorate an opportunity to correct problems they were experiencing with their computer programme.”
With the 2021/2022 assessments due soon, NAU president Piet Gouws last month paid a visit to Valuer-General Rudolf !Nanuseb to establish the current situation regarding land taxes.
According to the union, !Naruseb told Gouws his directorate has still not been able to iron out their computer challenges and it is still a work in progress.
Meanwhile, the directorate is issuing manually-corrected assessments to individuals who visit their offices.
Won’t be penalised
“He assured the NAU that farmers will not be penalised on outstanding taxes and that the deferment for payment that was granted continues to apply until further notice.”
!Nanuseb also said his office plans to distribute new assessments for the 2021/2022 financial year this month, which then need to be settled before 31 October.
The 2007 land valuation still applies to these assessments, while the rates also remain unchanged. Land tax for the 2021/2022 financial year should therefore be exactly the same as for the 2020/2021 financial year.
“New land valuations are still being considered and the directorate has given the assurance that the NAU and its members will be consulted prior to their approval.”
[Source – Republikein]