10 Mar 2016

The Minister of Lands and Housing says it is not true that some families in Sekwe ward in Letlhakane were relocate d by the village leadership to pave way for the development of the prison and agricultural show.

Answering a question in Parliament on Wednesday, Mr Prince Maele said the truth of the matter is that the residents of Sekwe ward approached Letlhakane Sub Land Board to regularise the plots they occupied illegally. 

He said the sub land board advised them that they could not be allocated the plots due to their proximity to the borehole supplying water to the village. 

Minister Maele further told the House that at least 25 families were relocated from Sekwe in 2007 and allocated plots in Metsiaela and Phase 2 wards within Letlhakane, emphasizing that the relocation was not based on prison and agricultural show ground developments.

He explained that the families who were relocated were predominately of Basarwa ethnic group, noting that they were allocated plots through Affirmative Action. 

Meanwhile Mr Maele said there is currently an influx of new settlers in the area and a detailed profiling of families found in the area was instituted during December 2015. It is anticipated that those eligible for allocation of land will be assisted before end of the first quarter of 2016/17 financial year.

MP for Boteti East Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe had asked the minister if it is true that some families that find themselves as squatters or homeless in Sekwe ward in Letlhakane village, were asked to relocate by the village leadership then to pave way for the development of the prison and agricultural show ground and promised to be allocated land.    

He also wanted the minister to state the number of the affected families and which year those two developments were carried out. In addition he wanted the minister to state the ethnicity of those family members and why that affirmative action does not apply to them as stipulated by the Land Policy or Act. He then demanded to know when they will be allocated land. Ends