10 Sep 2017

Kweneng Land Board members have been encouraged to rely on both the Tribal Land Act and the Botswana Land Policies.

Speaking at a joint stakeholders workshop by Letlhakeng and Motokwe Sub land boards in Letlhakeng recently, Kweneng Land Board attorney, Mr Alfred Baikakedi said relying on the laid down rules would ensure minimum mistakes and minimum of complaints, and that it would also make it easier to defend any case before the courts of law as the land board could always rely of the documents for their decisions.

He said other documents such as land board policies were only complementary as they only applied to specific areas of jurisdiction.  

Mr Baikakedi said claims of registration for old sites as well as rights to land allocated before the advent of land boards were overwhelming Kweneng, adding that they were the cause of many disputes.

He said such claims were the source of headaches for the land board, noting that some people claimed large chunks of land.

He also said it posed a challenge to dikgosi as they were required to validate such claims even when such land was allocated before they were even born.

Mr Baikakedi also advised dikgosi to be firm and satisfy themselves with evidence put before them before they could validate the registration of old sites.

Mr Baikakedi encouraged land board members to hold kgotla meetings to educate people on procedures such as the registration of old sites and squatting.

He said some people allocated themselves land innocently because of lack of education. For his part, Kgosi Wetsho Gobusang of Salajwe said a clear definition of old sites was needed as it was causing confusion.

He said the issue was even more confusing to them as magosi as they only had to rely on oral witnesses. 

Kgosi Gobusang said he wished claims of old sites could be abolished as people had a tendency of claiming vast lands that they do not have rights to.

He said the exclusion of dikgosana in overseeing land also posed a challenge.

For his part, Kgosi Tumelo Puleng decried land reservation, especially in the periphery of cities, saying such had the potential to fuel tribalism.

Mr Baikakedi said the definition of old rights was coined after consultations with morafe. 

Kgosi Makgabana Tsiane of Takatokwane had said the definition of old sites as “dilapidated and abandoned sites” was not relevant.

He, however, promised that any further recommendations to iron out the land board policy was welcome. Mr Baikakedi also urged magosi to report any suspicious land dealings.

Letlhakeng Sub land board chairperson, Ms Baleka Sebutle said the two sub land boards found it fit to hold a joint workshop as they experienced common challenges. ENDS