14 Aug 2013

The Minister of Lands and Housing, Mr Lebonaamang Mokalake, told Parliament that no land allocation had been done at Mmadipheretla in the Mahalapye Sub-district.

Responding to a question in Parliament, Minister Mokalake said he was aware of complaints by residents of Mmadipheretla that despite their applications for agricultural land at Mahalapye Sub Land Board, no allocation had been made.

Mr Mokalake however said that he was not aware of any new applications by people not residing in Mmadipheretla who had been allocated land in the area. He stated that the last allocations at Mmadipheretla were done in 2002.

Due to fixed land uses, Mr Mokalake said, the Ngwato Land Board resolved to freeze land allocations in Mmadipheretla in 2003.

“This was to pave way for developing a land use management plan for the area,” he said.

The development of the land use management plan was delayed by the need to review the Mahalapye Planning Area Development Plan, which includes Mmadipheretla.

Following approval of the plan, he said, a land use plan for the area was being prepared and was expected to be completed in March 2014. He added that Mmadipheretla had been zoned for agricultural use and that was its long-term strategy.

He said land right holders in Mmadipheretla, like other Batswana elsewhere, were entitled to practice integrated farming provided there was compatibility of uses.

Mr Mokalake was responding to a question from Shoshong MP, Mr Phillip Makgalemele, who asked him whether he was aware of complaints by residents of Mmadipheretla cattle post that despite their applications for agriculture land at the Mahalapye Sub Land Board, no allocation have been done while new applicants not residing in Mmadipheretla had been allocated land. 

Mr Makgalemele also asked the minister to state the number of plots allocated in Mmadipheretla and their associated uses over the last five years and how many were allocated to those who had practised farming in that area for more than five years.

He also asked the minister to further state the long-term strategy for Mmadipheretla, given her strategic location for business opportunities presented by Mahalapye and to tell the house whether residents of Mmadipheretla are entitled to practice integrated farming as detailed in the guidelines. ENDS