20 Oct 2020

A recent attempt to undertake a mapping exercise in Boro failed because of lack of  cooperation, the village’s Kgosi Motswagole Mokgwathi has revealed.

He told a kgotla meeting addressed by area MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando on Monday that efforts to convene a meeting to address the issue hit a snag as some concerned parties did not show up.

  Kgosi Mokgathi concurred with residents that the Tawana Land Board was delaying in allocating them plots and issuing certificates.

   He said contrary to claims made by some, the village was not in the Okavango Delta but was part of Maun.

Residents said despite their village predating Maun, they had neither been allocated plots nor ploughing fields.

It was reported that only 48 plots had been allocated since 2018.

They said not being allocated plots had hampered developments and exacerbated squatting in the area.

Residents said they lived in fear of being evicted after developing their plots. 

Compounding the problem was the fact that they were not eligible for basic utility connections as they occupied plots illegally.

They said some residents residing along the river bank had been allocated plots and issued with certificates and questioned the criteria being used by the land board.

Residents urged the land board to up its game and finalise the mapping exercise to pave way for land allocation and issuance of certificates.

Adding his voice to the debate, Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Matshediso Banyatsang said people had resorted to squatting because the land board was taking too long to allocate plots.

He said residents could not utilise their land effectively because they had been told they were not on the map.

Saying Boro was neglected, Mr Banyatsang noted that the only visible facilities were Botswana Prison Services and Botswana Defence Force camps.

He said the village had grown but residents still travelled long distances to access services in Maun.

One resident, Mr Ofilwe Gabogotswe said it was saddening that government had failed to live up to its promise of attending to the land allocation issue. 

He also said a long-promised primary school had never materialised.

Mr Gabogotswe omplained that the eco-tourism project hampered development in their village.

Another resident, Mr Phetogo Malatsi decried the fact that some residents sold plots which were not legally theirs. 

He called on residents to introspect instead of always blaming government for failing them.

Area councillor, Mr Kenson Kgage requested the land board to speed up allocation of ploughing fields which did not require a mapping exercise.

Land board was also advised to assist residents to change land use.

In response, Mr Saleshando  assured residents that he would follow up the plot allocation issue.

He urged residents to think outside the box and come up with ways of resuscitating the tourism industry which had been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic, he said, had taught them a lesson that citizens should be the ones driving the industry instead of being spectators as had been the case. Ends