23 Apr 2013

North East district councillors want Sekukwe, Rooikop and Pobepobe settlements to be gazetted as villages.

The settlements, they said, qualify them to be gazetted considering the 2011 population census results, which ranged from 466, 244 and 206 respectively.

They said if gazetted, the residents would be accorded their rights like every Motswana, thus making it easier for them to enjoy developments and social amenities such as primary schools, health post and others.

Councillors pointed out that some villages within the district, with a lesser number of people than the above settlements have long been recognised.

The suggestions are a follow up to a recent savingram from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development which requested all districts to submit a list of unrecognised settlements in their respective areas including services offered.

Secretary of the North East District development committee, Mr Onkokame Mafoko informed councillors that the savingram prompted the North East District Land Use Planning Unit to conduct a mini survey regarding the issue.

"We then identified Sekukwe, Lephaneng, Rooikop, Pobepobe, Sekgopa and Sekonje settlements and made a suggestion that they remain ungazetted."

the residents own residential plots, accessing services from surrounding villages of Matsiloje, Matshelagabedi, Themashanga, Kalakamati, and Nswazwi.

Meanwhile, the revised national settlement policy states that a settlement should have a minimum population of 500 and 250 in Remote Area Dwellers (RADs) in order to gain recognition. ENDS