15 Jan 2019

Impact assessment and provision of services have been highlighted as prerequisite requirements prior to land allocation.

Shoshong Sub-land Board secretary, Ms Amuchilani Merafhe, said they had already demarcated land for residential plots in Tobela.

Responding to residents’ concern during a kgotla meeting addressed by Shoshong MP, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele, in Tobela recently, Ms Merafhe said residential plots allocation was delayed by, among other things, provision of services such as water and roads.

Ms Merafhe said another issue of concern was that the sub-land board was not allowed to allocate land before ascertaining that it was suitable for such particular use.She added that the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) was mandated to establish suitability of land for prescribed use.

“The land board does not have the technicality to assess the suitability of land for proposed use and therefore it is the authority of DEA to do so. Council is mandated to provide roads while Water Utilities Corporation will take care of water connections,” she said.

Ms Merafhe added that the land was already demarcated and therefore all other pending issues were beyond their jurisdiction.

The residents were inquiring as to when the sub-land board would allocate residential plots in the village.

Village Development Committee member, Ms Kgomotso Thapelo, expressed concern about the delay in allocation of residential plots.

Ms Thapelo said some of the projects appreciated by Tobela residents were completion of clinic, improvement of supply of potable water and a house for nurse but reiterated that their concern was the delay in allocation of residential plots. Ends