11 Aug 2013

Parliament has deferred a motion by Maun West MP, Tawana Moremi which called for the review of land allocation policies.

Calling for the deferment, Minister of Lands and Housing Mr Lebonaamang Mokalake said his ministry has come up with a Lands Policy to be brought before parliament; hence MP Tawana’s motion should be deferred.

Minister Mokalake said he does not see it prudent to debate on an issue that has been included in the Land Policy which will be tabled on August 13.

Earlier, MPs had an opportunity to air their views with some saying they supported the motion while others like Bobirwa MP Shaw Kgathi said the motion does not serve any purpose as issues it aims to address are already included in the policy.

MP Kgathi lambasted opposition party MPs for tabling the motion knowing well that the government was already working on a similar assignment only for them to claim political mileage.

He said the Land Policy proposes a quota system where indigenous people are given preference in land allocation.

MP Kgathi said people residing in Tlokweng bought plots from Batlokwa hence the solution lies in amending loopholes in the existing legislature like discouraging people to sell their plots.

Supporting the motion, Kgatleng East MP Isaac Mabiletsa said the land allocation problem has been exacerbated by the lack of accommodation in urban areas; hence people move to neighbouring areas as is the case in Tlokweng, Mogoditshane and Kgatleng.

He said the three different types of land; freehold, tribal and lease were discriminatory as some people incurred losses whenever they have to make way for a government project.

MP Mabiletsa said people living in tribal areas only receive compensation for losing their plots while those in freehold are given market rates.

He said parliament rejected a motion calling for Land Audit saying such a motion would assist in knowing about land ownership as the Lesetedi Commission has revealed that one person owns more than 800 plots.

Boteti North MP, Slumber Tsogwane said the whole nation was troubled by land accessibility saying in his constituency, nestled between the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) and Makgadikgadi Game Reserve, people have been left with very little land for agricultural purposes.

The little land they have, MP Tsogwane said, is now scrambled over by people in his constituency and those from outside as Batswana have the right to be given land anywhere they wish.

He further said land allocation policies should be equal throughout the country saying currently plot sizes differ from one region to the other adding sizes for farms in Boteti have been reduced while in other areas they remain huge.

Kanye MP Kentse Rammidi said conflicts over land have also reached Ngwaketse communities and Ghanzi as they now want to be given priorities in land allocations.

He said Land Boards are faced with long waiting lists citing lack of funds as the main reasons for failing to allocate land.

MP Rammidi said this has seen a creation of an artificial shortage of land.

Following the deferment, MP Tawana said he will table the motion after the expected debate on the Land Policy. ENDS