25 Oct 2020

Tawana Land Board is expected to allocate over 1 800 residential plots across Ngamiland Dstrict.

Land board chairperson, Mr Emmanuel Dube, confirmed in an interview that about 1 852 residential plots were ready to be allocated.

In Maun jurisdiction, he said 244 would be allocated in Chanoga, 192 in Komana while 689 would be allocated in Gumare and 729 in Seronga.

He acknowledged that they experienced delays because land allocation was guided by a land policy, which provided that all plots had to be planned and surveyed before allocation.

The last allocation, Mr Dube said, was done in 2006 and since then they started keeping waiting lists, which stood at 69 157 for residential plots.

He said the sub-land boards were working round the clock to start processes to pave way for allocation.

The boards, he said, would conduct the vetting process in order to allocate plots to deserving applicants, noting that the policy stated that one should be allocated one plot in tribal land and one in state land.

Mr Dube explained that many people wanted to own land in Ngamiland since it was prime land, but stated that it was not automatic that all applicants would be allocated.

He also acknowledged that the delay had caused dissatisfaction amongst members of the public since they had been waiting for long.

He urged members of the public to understand that the planning process took time to conclude.

The chairman also explained that Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) contributed to the delay in land allocation.

The North West District Council, he said, had been able to prepare detailed layout for 25 810 plots since 2015 and most of the plots were not yet allocated because the district had to undertake SEA for all villages.

Mr Dube said the land board and the North West District Council managed to secure funding to conduct SEA in 2019, which enabled them to allocate plots in Seronga and Gumare areas.

The remaining 24 villages in the Maun Administrative Authority would be serviced during the 2020/21 financial year, he said.

He also pointed out that they were expecting more plots to be approved by the Department of Surveys and Mapping before the end of this financial year.

About 200 plots in Maun, he said, were awaiting approval while at Sexaxa they identified 3 500, Matlapana 800, Beetsha 485, Mokgacha 317, Ngarange 285,

Nxauxau 200, Shakawe 194, Gumare 811 and Tsodilo 150.

“If all the identified plots can be approved this year, we intend to allocate them immediately to reduce the waiting list,” he added.

Mr Dube said they had another target to survey more plots during the quarter ending in December this year and submit them to the Department of Survey sand Mappings for approval.

The land board, he said, intended to survey 1 000 plots in Matsaudi, 716 in Gudigwa, 2 500 in Chanoga, 250 in Kaputura and 800 each in Komana and Makalamabedi.

Business plots available for development and other uses, he said would be allocated through tender process.

Members of the community were urged to come forth and register their plots under the Land Administration Procedures and Capacity Systems (LAPCAS) programme, which was meant to survey all the plots in the district.

Registering the plots, he said, would enable them to claim their plots and be numbered.

Mr Dube said those failing to register their plots would not be issued with new certificates. Ends