14 Mar 2013

The Ministry of Lands and Housing is in the process of acquiring 3 220 hectares of land across all land boards, Parliament heard on March 12.

Presenting the ministry’s recurrent and development budget estimates of over P1.2 billion for the 2013/14 financial year, Mr Lebonaamang Mokalake indicated that the process was expected to be completed by end of the financial year.

To that, he said over P35 million had been availed for compensation out of which P32.7 million had been disbursed to various land boards for compensation of affected properties . Notwithstanding, the minister said a major challenge was that some people were not willing to release land for public use.

However, he said the ministry would continue to engage local authorities, institutions and the public with a view to addressing issues of planning and settlement development around the country. Parliament heard that the ministry would also acquire 618.64 ha of freehold land to augment land in the North East district for various purposes.

On land allocation, the minister told members that only 6 883 plots out of the 9 000 in Gaborone, Lobatse, Jwaneng and Francistown, which were expected to be allocated in the last financial year, have been allocated. On the other hand, he said they have allocated 17 886 plots on tribal land from April last year to date.

On land survey and mapping, he said that rehabilitation and construction of new boundary beacons between Botswana and Namibia was complete. That, the minister said was expected to facilitate the two countries to enter into a treaty that will guide activities along the common border. He added that reaffirmation of the Botswana and Zimbabwe boundary was ongoing while the one with South Africa was also earmarked for inspection in the near future.

The minister said construction and installation of seven reference stations was also complete while plans were underway to construct more of the stations in subsequent years until there are 68 by the end of the project in 2016. The reference stations, he explained, will facilitate mapping and land surveying in the country.

Mr Mokalake further told Parliament that during the 2011/12 financial year, boundaries for Central and Kgatleng and Chobe and Ngami districts were inspected and recommendations made to local authorities to facilitate regular maintenance of beacons.

Regarding national mapping projects, the minister indicated that they have managed to acquire satellite imagery for two settlements in Gaborone and Matsiloje and three blocks in the South Eastern part of Botswana for revision of medium and large scale mapping. Landcover mapping for Central, Kweneng, Kgatleng, Southern and South East districts were ongoing.

In addition, members were told that 677 updated digital medium scale (1:50 000) maps and 88 large scale (1:5000) maps were complete. Tourist maps of Okavango and Chobe as well as guide maps for Gaborone and Francistown were also complete and awaiting printing. On land servicing, Mr Mokalake said that they have started power reticulation on projects in Gaborone Tsholofelo extension, Jwaneng environmental unit 8, Lobatse airstrip and plantation and Francistown Gerald Estate.

He added that high voltage power reticulation in Lobatse, Kasane and Mekoro in Selebi-Phikwe was complete while Jwaneng, Gerald Estate and Tsholofelo were expected to be completed in the current financial year. He indicated that phase two – low voltage power and mini substations will follow as soon as plots were developed to avoid vandalism.

Parliament also heard that land servicing and upgrading at Sowa SHHA block 3 will be finalised in the next financial year to allow for plot allocation after which power reticulation will be done.

The ministry will also commence construction of two major servicing projects; Palapye extension 11 and Metsimotlhabe block 4 in the next financial year, which on completion will deliver 3330 and 1960 plots respectively. Construction of Shashe-Mooke Bridge was underway and the contractor mobilised on site in December last year.

They also heard that the ministry has also initiated engineering design in three areas of Seuwane in Ramotswa, Nnyungwe in Kasane Township and Pilane and Bokaa in Kgatleng district. Designs are at various stages of completion. In response to customer needs, Minister Mokalake noted that they have embarked on piloting minimal servicing at Mmaratanang in Tlokweng, Magope in Ramotswa, Mannathoko in Serowe and Shakawe, all of which he said were completed this financial year.

Mr Mokalake nonetheless noted that land servicing by its nature required large budgetary provisions which he said may not always be available from the public sector.

The proposed Land Policy intended for debate during the current Parliament sitting, he said addresses Private Public Partnership (PPP) initiative in infrastructure development thereby optimising government and the private sector in the delivery of serviced land. On other land issues, the minister indicated that they have decided to introduce integrated farming on land allocated for agricultural purposes.

The decision, he said, was prompted by the need to accommodate growing aspirations and diversification needs at national, regional and local community levels in land use planning processes and practices.

“This is aimed at containing growing conflicts between competing land uses for a resource that is increasingly becoming scarce and more valuable. In the process, the use of the allocated land will be optimised and conserved,” he said. ENDS