19 Dec 2019

48 allocated plots
GABORONE, Dec 17(BOPA): Parliament has learned that a total of 48 people were allocated plots in Molepolole in the last five years.
The Minister of Land Management Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila said  Molepolole had a total of 16 957 applications on the waiting list.
He said in the past there had not been any allocation made in Suping, except regularisation of residential plots that existed before the incorporation of Suping into Molepolole in 2013.
Mr Mzwinila said Kweneng District guidelines on the incorporation of settlements, which was developed in 2017, provided that a settlement incorporated becomes an expansion of the parent villa and accessed all services from a parent village.
He said guidelines further provided that where land use was predominantly agricultural, the land use shall be maintained as agricultural.
He further said Suping was predominately agricultural and that further allocations would be governed by Molepolole Area Development Plan 2036, which was being finalised.
He noted that the next allocation for Suping ward would be determined by the approval of the draft Molepolole Planning Area Development Plan 2036, which entailed land allocation strategies for various land uses.
The Minister said the ministry was aware that failure to allocate land may lead to illegal occupation of land.
Therefore he said the ministry was working with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development through the Kweneng District Council to finalise Molepolole Area Development Plan 2036 which was in draft form.
 The plan,Mr Mzwinila said, entailed proposed land uses and layouts, which formed the basis for land allocation.

He further stated that the Molepolole Development Plan was put in public notices from November 1, 2019, to December 1, 2019, for public inspection and comments.
He said Kweneng District was working on incorporating comments from members of the public and stakeholders, after which they would submit the reports to the ministry for approval.
He said while the government desired that all land be serviced before allocation, it had become challenging for the government to service all land because of the numerous financial commitments.
He said Botswana Land Policy provided that at least basic services be provided before allocation and the reason why the ministry committed to doing so, resources permitting.
He stated that requirements for land servicing projects averages ranged from P145 000 without power to P160 000 per plot with power reticulation for full servicing. He said minimal servicing with improved layer works up to paving costs around P25 000 per plot.
He said basic minimal servicing with bush clearing, grading and installation of standpipes ranged from P4 500 to P6 000 per plot.
Mr Mzwinila said Molepolole Area Development Plan had identified four clusters in different sides of the village as future development zones. He said Cluster A was spread within Matlhalerwa, Newtown and Ranta wards in the north part of the village.
He said there was a total of 308 1211 hectares which were expected to yield 4 282 plots of different uses. He said Cluster B was located on the Eastern part of the village on the right of B112 road along the roads that leads to Mahetlwe and Lentsweletau, within Magokotswane Ward.
Mr Mzwinila was responding to a question asked by Molepolole North MP Mr Oabile Regoeng who wanted to know the number of people allocated residential plots in Molepolole in the last five years and how many awaited allocation.
He also when the last allocation at Suping area was done, the number of plots allocated and the next allocation. BOPA