19 Mar 2018

The management of customary land evolved around from customary practices and as such there is no specific policy dealing with the protection of customary communal land. The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Mr Nonofo Molefhi said, however, various policies were used by land boards in dealing with customary and communal land. These, he said included the Tribal Grazing Land Policy, National Policy on Agricultural Development and individual land board policies.

He said tribal land had been vested in land boards in accordance with the Tribal Land Act, adding that the act was a statutory instrument that guided the management of tribal land. Mr Molefhi further explained that the land board may deal with tribal land to promote the economic and social development of all citizens. He said the policies and legislation in question were applicable in all districts, including Kgalagadi district. He said land allocations were done after consultation with relevant stakeholders. Minister Molefhi was responding to a question in Parliament  from Selebi Phikwe West MP Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse.

Mr Keorapetse had asked the minister to state the policy concerning the protection of customary communal rights on communal land in tribal areas and tribal territories. Mr Keorapetse also wanted to know how the policy had been applied in the Kgalagadi district where large areas of communal land had been alienated without consulting the user communities. Ends