02 Apr 2013

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has no plans to build a bus rank at Tsabong Central Business District (CBD) as the project is not included in the National Development Plan 10, Assistant Minister Olebile Gaborone has said.

Concerning allocation of plots, Mr Gaborone told Parliament that 14 out of 58 commercial plots in the CBD had been allocated.

Mr Gaborone said Tsabong Land Board advertised the plots in December 2011 but the response was low and only 14 applicants were awarded.

“The land board has given people who were allocated the commercial plots two years to develop the plots”, he said.

Mr Gaborone said the development period had not yet expired and therefore the land board had not started the process of repossessing the plots. He noted that the owners were given conditions that in six months they should have entered into lease agreements with the land board.

They were also to pay part of partial cost recovery fee to the council before commencement of construction and the remaining balance to be paid in four years.

Kgalagadi South MP, Mr John Toto had asked the minister when the Kgalagadi District Council would build the bus rank at Tsabong Central Business District.

Mr Toto also asked whether business plots at the CBD had already been allocated, and if so how many had been allocated.

In addition, he wanted to know the total amount of loss incurred by the Council for repossessed plots that were not developed within the stipulated time and the grace period given for payment for the allocated plots. ENDS