12 Jun 2014

Residents of Shashe Mooke have accused Tonota Sub-land Board for lack of consultation.

Speaking in a kgotla meeting addressed by the area MP, Mr Pono Moatlhodi on June 11, one of the residents, Mr Isaac Nyathi said the land board suspended the allocation of some farming fields without informing the applicants. He lamented that the delay denied those who intended to plough during the last season opportunity to do so.

He appealed to the sub land board to consider allocating plots to the underprivileged members of the society speedily particularly when donors had shown interest in building for them. Mr Tebogo Morobe said due to lack of consultation with dikgosi, there were mistakes in land allocation in the village.

He cited that due to lack of consultation the sub land board closed some of the roads where the new farming fields’ allocations were done.

Mr Molatlhegi Gosenyang complained about lack of a culvert at Mosenene which he said made the place inaccessible for school going children especially during rainy periods.

The residents also complained that land allocations were frozen in some parts of the village and the sub land board did not make any explanation.

In response, the deputy sub land board chairperson, Mr Buzwani Ngada said some allocations were frozen because Shashe Mooke was now a planning area and the land board could not demarcate any plots.

Mr Ngada said the Department of Town and Regional Planning (DRTP) will consult the community on the development.

He said according to phase one of the plan, a total of 1937 plots, both residential and business, will be allocated.

On the issue of closed roads at the farming fields, Mr Ngada said roads were gazette and the sub land board was in the process of negotiating with the sub council to cut trees and grade them.

He also lamented the rate at which ownership of plots was transferred citing that on average a total of 18-20 plots were transferred every month.

He noted that the sub land board has realized that some residents of Shashe Mooke sold their plots only to occupy plots illegally on the other side of the village.

Earlier the area MP, Mr Pono Moatlhodi informed the residents that the Ministry of Education and Skills Development was given a lion’s share of the budget followed by the Ministry of Health and that of Local Government and Rural Development.

On other issues he said 14 000 people in the constituency registered to vote in the coming general elections. ENDS