23 Apr 2018

The decision to declare Tlokweng a planning area was aimed at ensuring that the area was transformed into an economic and industrial hub.

Speaking during the community and stakeholder consultative workshop on the review of the Tlokweng Development Plan recently, GISplan (Pty) Ltd Consultant Mr Ralph Chepete said there was need to make best use of land in the planning area in order to meet present and future needs.He said they were required to create a well-planned and spatially balanced built environment for Tlokweng with a distinctive image and character.

He therefore said there was need to provide an improved infrastructure services in the planning area. Mr Chepete however said key challenges identified and addressed by the revised plan was shortage of land in Tlokweng for development purposes, with high numbers of backlogs in plot allocation.

He however said Tlokweng had become a dormitory settlement to Gaborone and there was lack of employment and limited industrial opportunities.

For his part, deputy kgosi of Batlokwa Kgosi Michael Gaborone said government must make sure that every Motswana had rights to own a piece of land.

Kgosi Gaborone said it was up to them as Batlokwa to make sure that things were done accordingly in the plan to benefit residents. He said when reviewing the plan, Batlokwa had to be careful of the decision they took because there was shortage of land.

He said leaders of South East District had to work together to protect their land so that it would not be taken from them.

Kgosi Gaborone said the planners should look at Batlokwa whose main interest was in farming and ploughing but they did not have enough land to do undertake farming.

Further he said it was not their intention not to accommodate other Batswana on their land, but they were faced with severe land shortage hence their waiting list was well over 55 000.

Chairperson of Farmers Association, Mr Edward Lekoko said it was important for the consultant to take their grievances into consideration.Mr Lekoko said as farmers, the plan did not satisfy them and they did not agree with it because it would impoverish them and take away their source of living and culture. ENDS