Property Law in Namibia

Samuel K. Amoo

Description

Property Law in Namibia provides an autochthonous discussion of property law in Namibia. It does not only capture the constitutional, statutory and common law sources of property law in Namibia, but it also covers currently topical subjects such as property rights of women and land reform in Namibia. The publication is meant to be utilised by law academics, property law lecturers, legal practitioners and conveyancers, law students, students pursuing specialised land related programmes such as land use planning and officials in government ministries.Property Law in Namibia contains chapters on traditional concepts of property law such as the scope and nature of the law of property, classifications of things, real rights and personal rights, ownership and possession. Chapter 9 is devoted entirely to remedies, which is a departure from the norm, but where relevant, appropriate remedies are indicated in the specific parts of the text.In order to give prominence to Namibian property jurisprudence topics on the genesis of the land tenure systems of Namibia, land reform, and property rights of women in Namibia have either been dealt with in separate chapters or been included as parts of other chapters.This publication is meant to be utilised by law academics, property law lecturers, legal practitioners and conveyancers, law students, students pursuing specialised land related programmes such as land use planning and officialsAbout the editor:Samuel K. Amoo is Advocate of the High Court for Zambia and Attorney of the High Court of Namibia. Associate Professor of Law (University of Namibia). Acting Director, Justice Training Centre (JTC)

Sujets

• Economie
• développement
• Politics
• Relations internationales
• Développement
• Géopolitique

Informations

• Publié par: PULP (Pretoria University Law Press)
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781920538224
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

PropertyLawinNamibia

SamuelK.Amoo
BA(Ghana)LLB(Zambia)LLM(Toronto)
AdvocateoftheHighCourtforZambiaandAttorneyoftheHighCourtofNamibia
AssociateProfessorofLaw(UniversityofNamibia)
ActingDirector,JusticeTrainingCentre(JTC)

2014

PropertylawinNamibia

Publishedby:
PretoriaUniversityLawPress(PULP)
ThePretoriaUniversityLawPress(PULP)isapublisherattheFacultyofLaw,
UniversityofPretoria,SouthAfrica.PULPendeavourstopublishandmakeavailable
innovative,highͲqualityscholarlytextsonlawinAfrica.PULPalsopublishesaseries
ofcollectionsoflegaldocumentsrelatedtopubliclawinAfrica,aswellastextbooks
fromAfricancountriesotherthanSouthAfrica.Thisbookwaspeerreviewedpriorto
publication.

FormoreinformationonPULP,seewww.pulp.up.ac.za

Printedandboundby:
BusinessPrint,Pretoria

Toorder,contact:
PULP
FacultyofLaw
UniversityofPretoria
SouthAfrica
0002
Tel:[phone]
Fax:[phone]
[e-mail]
www.pulp.up.ac.za

Cover:
YolandaBooyzen,CentreforHumanRights
PhotographbyLeonBellingan,Kolmanskop,Namibia

ISBN:978Ͳ1Ͳ920538Ͳ22Ͳ4

©2014

PREFACE

TABLEOFCONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Chapter1
1
2
3

4
5

Chapter2

1
2

3

Chapter3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

9

Chapter4
1
2

Themeaningandscopeofthelawofproperty
Introduction
Definitionofthelawofproperty
ThesourcesofthelawofpropertyinNamibia
3.1 TheConstitution
3.2 Otherlegislation
3.3 RomanͲDutchcommonlaw
3.4 Customarylaw
3.5Internationallaw
Aglossaryofterms
Summary

Thegenesisoftheskewedlandpoliciesandland
tenureinNamibia
Thecolonialexpropriationofindigenouslands
ClassificationoflandinNamibia
2.1 Creationofcrownandstateland
2.2 Reservesandtrusts
2.3 Creationofareasfornativenations
2.4 Creationofcommunalland
Summaryandconcludingremarks

vii

ix

1
2
4
4
4
6
7
8
8
12

13
16
17
18
19
19
26

Thelegalconceptofathing
Introduction28
Corporeality28
Impersonalnature29
Independence29
Susceptibilitytohumancontrol30
Usefulnessandvaluetohumanbeings31
Summary31
Classificationofthings32
8.1 Diagram32
8.2 Introduction32
8.3 Classificationofathingwithregardtoitsrelation
toaperson 33
8.4 Classificationofathingwithregardtoitsrelation
tonature 35
Summaryandconcludingremarks39

Propertyrights,realrightsandpersonalrights
Introduction
Categoriesofrealrights
2.1 Ownership
2.2 Servitudes
2.3 Pledge
2.4 Mortgage

iii

40
42
42
43
44
44

3

4

Chapter5
1
2
3

4

5

6

Chapter6
1
2

3

4

Chapter7
1
2

2.5 Lease
2.6 Statutoryleasehold
2.7 Mineralrights
2.8 Sectionaltitleunitrealright
Registrationofrealrights
3.1Theclassicalandpersonalisttheories
3.2Evaluationofthetheories
3.3 Criteriaorrequirementsdevelopedbythecourtsto
determinethecapabilityofarighttoberegistered
Summaryandobservations

Ownership
Introduction
Contentofownership
NatureofcoͲownership
3.1 Rightsofpossession
3.2 Rightsofuseandenjoyment
CreationandestablishmentofcoͲownership
4.1 Inheritance
4.2 Conclusionofamarriageincommunityofproperty
4.3 Mixing(commixtio)
4.4 Estateholdership
4.5 Voluntaryassociationwithoutlegalpersonality
4.6 Contract
Limitationsonownership
5.1 Introduction
5.2 LimitationsimposedbytheConstitution
5.3 StatutoryLimitations
5.4 Commonlawlimitations
Conclusionandobservations

45
45
45
46
46
47
48

48
60

62
63
63
64
65
66
66
67
67
68
68
68
68
68
70
88
93
113

Acquisitionofownership
Introduction114
Originalacquisitionofownership114
2.1Occupatio(appropriation) 114
2.2 Treasure115
2.3 Accession115
2.4 Mixing(commixtioandconfusio)126
2.5Specificatio(manufacture) 127
2.6Acquisitiveprescription 127
Derivativeacquisitionofownership133
3.1 Transferofownershipundertheabstractandcausal
systems 134
3.2.Delivery 137
3.3 Transferbyregistration 139
Summaryandconcludingremarks143

Realrightsotherthanownership
Introduction
Servitudes
2.1 Definition
2.2 Classification

iv

145
145
145
146

3
4

5

6

7

Chapter8
1

2

3
4
5
6
7

Chapter9
1
2
3

4
5

6
7

Chapter10
1
2

3
4
5

Lease
Mortgage
4.1 Definitionandgeneralfeatures
4.2 Thelegalconsequencesofmortgage
4.3 Terminationofmortgage
Pledge
5.1 Definitionandgeneralfeatures
5.2Terminationofpledge
Liens
6.1 Definitionandgeneralfeatures
6.2 Categoriesofliens
6.3 Terminationofliens
Concludingremarks

164
166
166
166
169
170
170
171
171
171
172
173
173

Possession
Definitionandelementsofpossession174
1.1Physicalcontrol(detentio) 174
1.2 Intention(animuspossidendi) 175
Typesofpossession176
2.1 Civilandnaturalpossession 176
2.2 Lawfulpossession(possessioiusta)andunlawful
possession(possessioiniusta) 176
2.3Bonafideandmalafidepossession 177
Thelegaleffectofpossession177
Possessioncomparedwithownership179
Lossofpossession180
Thepossessoryremedies:protectionofpossession180
Summaryandconcludingremarks181

Remedies
Introduction
Whatareremedies?
Protectionofownership
3.1Reivindicatio
3.2Actionegatoria
3.3 Delictualremedies
3.4Condictiofurtiva
3.5ActiolegisAquiliae
Unjustifiedenrichment
Protectionofpossession;thepossessoryremedies
5.1Mandamentvanspolie(spoliation)
5.2 Interdict
Protectionofservitudes
Concludingremarks

182
182
183
184
190
191
191
193
193
194
194
197
199
199

PropertyrightsofwomeninNamibia
Introduction200
BackgroundtopropertyrightsofwomenandHIVand
AIDSinNamibia201
Ownershipofpropertyandinheritancerights205
ThelinksbetweengenderinequalityandHIVandAIDS206
PropertyrightsinNamibiaandtheenablinglegalregime207
5.1 Landclassificationandlandtenureinindependent
Namibia 207

v

6

7
8

Chapter11
1
2
3
4

5

BIBLIOGRAPHY

5.2 Privateland/commercialfarms 208
AccessibilityofcommercialfarmstoNamibianwomen209
6.1 Rightsofwomentocommercialfarmsbeforemarriage210
6.2 Rightsofwomentocommercialfarmsduringmarriage210
Accesstocredit218
Conclusion221

LandreforminNamibia
Introduction
WhiteagricultureinmoderndayNamibia
Securityoftenureintheinformalareas
Reformofcustomarylandtenure
4.1 Natureofcustomarylandtenure
4.2 TheCommunalLandReformAct
Conclusion

vi

224
226
229
231
231
233
235

236

PREFACE

FollowingtheimpositionofSouthAfricanAdministrationonSouthWestAfrica,after
thegrantingoftheLeagueofNationsMandateovertheterritorytoSouthAfrica,one
obvioushistoricalfactwastheextensionoftheapplicationoftheSouthAfricanlegal
systemtotheterritory.OnebasiccharacteristicoftheSouthAfricanlegalsystemis
theelementofRomanͲDutchlawconstituting,asitwere,thenucleusofSouthAfrican
lawandhencethecommonlawofSouthAfrica.InsofarasSouthWestAfrica
(Namibia)wasconcerned,RomanDutchlawwasformallyintroducedasthecommon
lawoftheterritorybyProclamation21of1919(S.W.A.Gazette,No25of1919)which
providedinteraliathatRomanͲDutchlawwastobeappliedintheterritoryasexisting
andappliedintheProvinceoftheCapeofGoodHopeandtheproclamationremained
thelegalbasisfortheapplicationofthecommonlawoftheCapeasasourceoflawof
SouthWestAfrica(Namibia)untilthepromulgationoftheNamibianConstitution.

TheNamibianIndependenceConstitutioncameintoforceontheeveof
independenceasthesupremelawofthelandandthereforetheultimatesourceoflaw
inNamibia.Article140oftheConstitutionprovidesthatalllawsthatwereinforce
immediatelybeforethedateofindependenceshallremaininforceuntilrepealedor
amendedbyanActofParliamentoruntiltheyaredeclaredunconstitutionalbya
competentcourt.Byvirtueofthisprovision,thesourcesoflawinNamibiacomprise
thelawsthatwereinforceontheeveofindependenceandafterindependence.With
respecttothecommonlaw,Article66(1)specificallystipulatesthatthecommonlaw
ofNamibiainforceonthedateofindependenceshallremainvalidtotheextentto
whichsuchcommonlawdoesnotconflictwiththeConstitution.

AcomponentofthelegislativesourcesofNamibianlawwasthelegislation
introducedbySouthAfrica.In1925,theSouthAfricanParliamentwasgivenfullpower
oflegislationoverSouthWestAfrica(Namibia).Consequently,someoftheSouth
AfricanstatuteswereextendedtoSouthWestAfricabyproclamation.Thelegislative
authorityovertheterritory,however,wasnotvestedintheSouthAfricanUnion
governmentalone.Thelocallegislature,whichcomprisedtheLegislativeAssemblyof
SouthWestAfricaandthelocalAdministratorͲGeneralofSouthWestAfrica,had
residuarylegislativefunctionssubjecttothesuperiorlegislativefunctionsvestedin
theUnionParliament.Theformerexerciseditslegislativefunctionsintheformof