The Namibia Farmworker Union (Nafwu) has decided to "postpone" its occupation of 15 white-owned farms originally planned for next week, pending discussions with the government and the Namibia Agricultural Union, media reports quoted Nafwu general secretary Alfred Angula as saying yesterday.

The move follows a stern warning by the government that unlawful occupation of farms would not be tolerated.

"Resettlement is a national priority and is a voluntary process, therefore, each and every formerly disadvantaged Namibian has the right to be resettled, but in a proper and orderly manner," said Namibian Secretary of Information Mocks Shivute in a statement.

According to the English-language daily The Namibian, well-placed sources said a delegation of the ruling party Swapo had given the unionists a tongue-lashing and told them that the police and paramilitary Special Field Force would be deployed if the farmworkers illegally occupied farms.

The Afrikaans-language daily Die Republikein further reported that the planned invasions could be motivated by a personal vendetta of Nafwu President Asser Hendricks.

According to the report, the date of the planned invasions coincides with the date on which Hendricks was to be served a final order to leave the farm Krumhuk south of Windhoek where he worked for 16 years.

Legal action was pending between the Hendricks and the farm owners, the report said. – Sapa-DPA.