14 Dec 2016

There are 27 202 people on the Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA)  waiting list in Francistown, including applications received up to November 2016, Assistant Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Itumeleng Moipisi, has said.

Responding to a question in Parliament from Francistown South MP, Wynter Mmolotsi, Mr Moipisi said the last allocation was done in May 2014.

When plots were available, like in all urban centres, he said it took six months to allocate SHHA plots in Francistown.

“I do not have a problem with the turnaround time for allocation of plots when they are available. This is borne out of the fact that we have to ensure equity in the allocation of plots,” he added.

Applicants, he said were given up to three months to respond to the provisional offer ‘while at the same time we manually vet them against records at the Deeds Registry, Botswana Housing Corporation and SHHA allocations in other urban centres.’
Following vetting, assistant minister said the applicant’s list was presented to the Council Committee and subsequently was transmitted to Legal Services for formal offer.

Thereafter, he said applicants were given one month to accept the offer. The on-going Land Information System will further improve the allocation process as information on plot allocations and title deeds will be readily available to effectively vet applicants within a shorter time.

Mr Mmolotsi wanted to know how many people were in the waiting list for SHHA plots in Francistown and when the last allocation was made.

Francistown South MP also wanted to know the turnaround time for plot allocation in the city, whether the minister was satisfied with the turnaround time and what he intended to do to ameliorate the situation. ENDS