07 Oct 2020

New Tawana Land Board members have been urged to work as a team and cooperate with stakeholders to ensure optimal delivery.

When making remarks during the land board members’ orientation, North West District Council chairperson, Mr Kebareeditse Ntsogotlho stated that working in silos disadvantaged communities.

The council, land board, bogosi and office of the district commissioner should work as a collective to facilitate development for betterment of the communities.

He said the four local authorities had been working in isolation, hence delay in land allocation.

Mr Ntsogotlho urged the incoming members to fast track land allocation since their mission stated that they would manage land and ensure delivery of housing for socio- economic development.

Members of the community, he said, had waited in vain for land and urged the members to up their game and ensure citizens enjoyed access to land as it was their fundamental right.

He called on the incoming board to push the backlog on change of land use, transfers and signing of leases; among others.

The council chairperson appreciated that as the planning authority, the council could have contributed to the delay, but assured participants that they were committed to join forces with other stakeholders and do the right thing.

“We are serving the same community, hence we should work collectively for the betterment of their lives,” he added. New members were also urged to refrain from using their emotions when making decisions.

Mr Ntsogotlho said it was disturbing that the land board had lost 90 per cent of appeals, just because they made decisions which were influenced by their emotions.

He called on new members to understand that they had been entrusted with a sensitive commodity, which they must accord its due care.

Mr Ntsogotlho said land should not be used as a political weapon, as it was happening in other countries.

The district commissioner, Mr Keolopile Leipego also concurred that the four local authorities should indeed work as a unit, as they were serving the same people.

He stated that land was a sensitive matter, which needed close a relationship with key stakeholders to provide technical input all the time. Mr Leipego said the District Land Use Planning Unit (DLUPU) committee, which was made up of key departments, plays an important role in the development of the district.

He stated that Bogosi also played a key role in advising on traditional matters affecting land administration, while the land board was responsible to contribute significantly to rapid economic growth of Botswana and the transformation agenda.

He also stated that the land board had signed memoranda of agreement with some ministries such as Investment, Trade and Industry and Agricultural Development and Food Security to make land readily available for both local and foreign investors and to facilitate programmes such as ISPAAD by availing land timeously.Tawana land board chairman, Mr Emmanuel Dube admitted that cooperation with various institutions was crucial in driving their mandate and to achieve positive results.

He assured the gathering that they would try their best to make their relationships work by consulting each other.

The land board secretary, Ms Neo Mothobi promised to maintain good relations with other departments to ensure good service delivery.

She committed to always give feedback on what had been agreed on and on time.

She admitted that the land board experienced delays in land allocation, but acknowledged that the council always played its role well on time. ENDS