16 Jun 2014

Areas that fall under Serowe sub-Land Board jurisdiction are experiencing acute shortage of land for residential purposes.

Ngwato Land Board acting principal information and public relations officer, Ms Shirley Tsheko said in an interview that the areas were Mogorosi, Thabala, Moiyabana, Motshegaletau, Sehunou and Mabuo.

She said a total number  of 7 755 applicants were on waiting list for land allocation in those areas. “Currently the sub-land board has 6 253 applicants in Serowe, 695 in Mogorosi, 117 in Thabala and 690 applicants awaiting land allocation in Moiyabana,” she said. 

Ms Tsheko said the situation was exacerbated by the declaration of Serowe as a planning area. She added that the other factor contributing to land shortage in her area was the lengthy process of acquiring arable plots from owners. 

Ms Tsheko explained that lack of funds to compensate those whose property had been acquired contributed to the challenges associated with the shortage of land in the area.

However, she highlighted that their office was working tirelessly to address the situation and as for now they had stopped haphazard allocations as plots would be demarcated and orderly allocated.

She added that the measure put in place by the Ministry of Lands and Housing which allowed the implementation of the integrated farming in the areas designated for agriculture where by farmers do several agricultural ventures in one plot also would help fight the situation.

Ms Tsheko however expressed concern over the continuous escalating rate of plot transfers by owners and the re-applying process which ends up creating an increment of the land applicants.

She said they were also concerned with failure by allotees to observe the set development covenant.  She further appealed to members of the public to participate in the systematic plot registration which was on going to allow her department to gather information regarding who owns what plot and in which area and for what puporse. ENDS