23 Sep 2014

The Minister of Lands and Housing, Mr Lebonaamang Mokalake has said the partnership between Barclays Bank Botswana and Tati land board regarding the collection of lease rental payments will improve the collection of revenue.

Speaking at the launch of the partnership in Francistown on Thursday, September 18, Mr Mokalake said Tati Land Board is inundated with unpaid lease rentals amounting to P7 200 000.00 which could be partly attributed to lack of convenient arrangements between lessees and the land board.

He said though some debts are as a result of sheer reluctance by some lessees to pay, lack of adequate paying points since some villages are very far from Masunga revenue office contributes to failure to pay.

“It has been observed that where amount due for payment is very small the public lose interest in paying when they think about the distance they travel but this arrangement with Barclays will enable some of them to make stop orders or direct debit without necessarily having to travel to Masunga,” said the Minister.

Mr Mokalake said the arrangement will not only improve collection of revenue but will also improve service delivery and customer satisfaction because once the payments are made the same money will be used to help others who need a similar service.

He called on customers to embrace the arrangement as it will accord them the convenience and the flexibility they desire.

Earlier the Tati Land Board chairperson, Mr Kgotlaetsho Morakanyane said the board is faced with a challenge of people failing to pay their lease rentals because of the long distances they had to travel and he is hopeful that the arrangement will be a solution.

Tati Land Board Treasurer, Ms Tebogo Bakgethisi said the arrangement was piloted in 2012/13 financial year and gained momentum in 2013.

Ms Bakgethisi said before making lease rent deposit they must call revenue offices and ask for debtor’s identity number to be used as deposit reference number in order to make the payment traceable and they are also advised to fax the deposit slip to the land board as proof of payment.

Barclays head of public sector, Ms Phemelo Moleofi said Gaborone City Council was already benefiting from a similar arrangement.

She said the bank has 50 branches across the country which makes it easy for customers to pay wherever it is convenient for them.

Ms Moleofi said the lease rental payments can be done through Barclays’ internet banking, internet retail, point of sales machines, mobile phone banking and manual collection throughout the 50 branches.

Meanwhile the theme for the partnership is “Lease Payment solutions that will change your life for the better” and the launch was attended by lease holders from all the villages serviced by Tati Land board. ENDS