12 Mar 2013

The Minister of Lands and Housing, Mr Lebonaamang Mokalake, has called upon land board administrators to be professional. 

Addressing land board members and technical staff during a workshop his ministry had organised on March 11, Mr Mokalake said if things were done professionally, land boards would not compromise on quality service.

Mr Mokalake said stringent and outdated land laws that delayed decision making processes should be reviewed. “This can help to improve efficiency and reduce bureaucracy in the administration of land,” he said.

He advised land boards to establish anti-corruption units in order to avoid corrupt practices.

The minister said there was serious shortage of land in the country and it was important for land boards to monitor issues of squatting.

He also urged land boards to ensure that the land that they allocated did not end up in the wrong hands and also served the purpose that it was intended to serve. 

Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime official, Mr Mershack Motsomane, encouraged land boards to guard against corruption by monitoring and evaluating their processes as well as maintaining high levels of ethical standards.

Mr Motsomane said the public service, as the administrative foundation of government, was entrusted with the implementation of government policies and initiatives.

He said the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of any public service affected other fundamental sectors of the economy.  For that reason, Mr Motsomane said it was important that the public service maintained public confidence, particularly by being free of corruption. ENDS