20 Jan 2020

Residents of Buuhe ward in Letlhakane have been warned to refrain from tempering with land demarcation layout.

Addressing the resident duering a kgotla meeting,  Boteti East Member of Parliament Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said removing pegs delayed land allocation.

The area MP who is also Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness explained that plot allocation took time due to logistics involved, and adding that people flocking to the village in search for employment opportunities in the mines, ended up settling as squatters.

He stated that the issue of residents who were relocated by Debswana would be discussed with the relevant authorities, cited that they were relocated from cattleposts

The Assistant Minister was responding to a concern raised by Ngwato Land board member, Ms Nketsang Tape, who complained that the residents removed pegs from the demarcated layout which delayed plot application.

Ms Tape stated that, such had compelled land board to require more funds to reinstall pecks, hence delaying allocation process.

The residents, she said also did not build on plots they had been allocated officially and opted to squatter elsewhere. 

She noted that some squattered due to family disputes.

Ms Tape noted that some residents attempted to sell non-transferrable plots they had been allocated through special dispensation and complained that land board denied them their rights when they failed.

The Village Development Committee Chairman Mr Shadrack Teseletso had earlier on complained that there were a lot of squatters at Buuhe ward, and some of them were elderly people. 

He called for their allocation to restore their dignity.

Another resident complained that they had been requested to relocate from the plots they had been staying on for a period of over four years, by people indicating that they had been allocated by landboard.

Mr Tshotlego Morama also a resident, had complained that people who were relocated by Debswana were moved to undeveloped areas.

 On other other issues Mr Lelatisitswe stated that there was need for a home based care volunteer in Buuhe ward to assist bed ridden patients in need of care.

He encouraged VDC to work in partnership with relevant departments to assist such patients.The area MP was responding to one of the residents Mr Gorongwang Kitso who had expressed concern that bed-ridden patients did not get help on time as there was no transport to ferry them to the hospital, and that the social welfare office was far from their ward.

The District Health Management Team official Ms Batho Rampana raised concern that expectant mothers on labour failed to go to the hospital on time, which at times resulted in some losing their newborns.

Ms Rampana stated that mothers also failed to take children to clinic and failed to get immunisations according to schedule. ENDS