22 Nov 2017

Speeding up of land allocation is part of the objectives of the Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, says Assistant Minister Itumeleng Moipisi.

Mr Moipisi informed Parliament that land allocation processes were continuously  reviewed to ensure efficiency and equity in land allocation.

Mr Moipisi said most land in Botswana was already occupied and zoned for different land uses and it was therefore necessary to acquire land from landholders and plan the land prior to allocation.

He said the process was lengthy as land holders often cite insufficient compensation offered and that the ministry continued to facilitate access to land and protection of such land rights through acquisition of more land from land holders for redistribution to citizens.

Mr Moipisi noted that land boards sit monthly to consider applications and land management strategies to improve land management, such as land information system, land registration, amendments of legislation were ongoing and the ministry was introducing market related compensation in order to encourage land holders to release land for redistribution.

He said allocation of un-serviced land was not a solution as such, land would remain undeveloped for a long period of time which was against Botswana Land policy.

Mr Moipisi said the ministry would not consider allocating un-serviced land in rural areas but instead would seek funding to do minimal land servicing and combining it with allocation of land without services where there were pressure of land allocation.

Member of Parliament for Nata-Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga had asked the minister whether he would consider speeding up the process of land allocation in Botswana, what he was doing to address the outcry of delayed plot allocation, why he could not reserve the system of allocating land to Batswana after land servicing and if he would consider allocating un-serviced plots in rural areas. ENDS