Nigeria: Unease as Garki Villagers Get Evacuation Order - Controversy is brewing over the evacuation order issued to indigenes and inhabitants of Garki Village to relocate to the new Apo Site. Those affected say they are dismayed with the conduct of the Resettlement and Compensation Committee of the Federal Capital Development Authority, (FCDA). [AA Urbanisation]

Uganda: UN-HABITAT to Resettle IDPs - THE United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) is to help more internally displaced people in northern Uganda resettle in their communities. [AA Urbanisation]

By Thabo Mohale

Twelve households will have to relocate when the dam reservoir floods this valley.

The construction of a two billion dollar dam in Metolong, some 35 kilometres outside of Lesotho's capital Maseru, is being welcomed by people in and around the city who will gain access to clean and safe drinking water when construction is completed in 2013.

But for 250 rural families who will lose access to land and natural resources - some will be forced to relocate to make way for roads, power lines and other infrastructural development during construction - the dam is bad news.

Namibia: Omaheke Unhappy About Resettlement - Omaheke residents have expressed unhappiness about the resettlement programme in the region. [AA Urbanisation]

Nigeria: Lagos Demolitions Would Have Been Minimal If ... - TONGUES have continued to wag since the Lagos State government embarked upon massive demolition of shanties and other illegal structures that deface all nooks and crannies of the city. [AA Urbanisation]

By Proffesor Ndawonde

Pretoria - The Minister of Housing, Lindiwe Sisulu has described the Durban High Court ruling against Abahlali Basenjondolo Movement SA as a breakthrough in the implementation of the Breaking New Ground housing policy.

On Tuesday, Kwazulu-Natal Judge President Vuka Shabalala dismissed the movement's application against the KwaZulu-Natal Elimination and Prevention of Re-emergence of Slums Act of 2007.

On May 2008, the movement asked the High Court to declare the legislation unconstitutional and in conflict with other housing legislation. It argued that the legislation was inhumane and would lead to random and inhumane evictions of homeless people by the government.

The application was brought against the Minister Sisulu, the Minister of Land Affairs Lulu Xingwana, Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Sibusiso Ndebele and the MEC of Housing and Local Government, Mike Mabuyakhulu.

Responding to the ruling Minister Sisulu said the judgment laid a legal framework for fast tracked housing delivery through the implementation of the Breaking New Ground (BNG) Policy.

Land Reform Reaping Fruits Despite Problems - Land Reform Reaping Fruits Despite Problems - Almost two decades after independence Namibia's land reform shows positive results and is guided by fair laws, but bureaucracy, slow progress in transformation of land ownership and unclear criteria for expropriation are overshadowing successes. [All Africa - Namibia] [

Ghana: Gov't Returns Family Lands to Owners - The Government of Ghana has returned, to some families, lands taken compulsorily by the government in pursuit of development objectives. [AA Construction]

Nigeria: Apo Resettlement Movement Begins November - MINISTER of State for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe announced yesterday that the movement of affected villages to the Apo Resettlement Site would commence by the end of next month, just as he warned illegal occupants of the Site to immediately vacate the houses or face prosecution if they vandalize any of the houses. [AA Urbanisation]

Nigeria: FCT - 'Resettlement of Indigenous Villages in Progress' - Movement of inhabitants of 28 indigenous villages of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the 877-unit Apo Resettlement Site will commence at the end of next month. [AA Urbanisation]