12 Nov 2020

All land board members meet requirements of the provisions of the Tribal Land Act and its regulations, the Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila has said.

Responding to a question in Parliament, Mr Mzwinila said the ministry had decided to remove a requirement that stated that the prospective candidates should not be involved in active politics since such restriction was unfair.

Thus, he said every Motswana was given an opportunity to apply irrespective of political affiliation. He, however, added that the contract was clear that the appointees should not be active in politics while serving in the land board.

Mr Mzwinila stated that some of the members were not shortlisted for interviews as the Statutory Instrument No 29 of 2017 allowed the minister to appoint to a land board a person who was not in the list of candidates submitted by land board selection committee.

“Statutory Instrument No 29 of 2017 was applied in situations where there was a huge difference in age, qualifications, experience, competencies or geographical representation of villages especially within the sub land boards,” he said.

Minister Mzwinila indicated that he appointed 94 youth out of which 90 held tertiary qualifications and 62 were women while 32 were men.  Further to that, he said 12 out of 62 women held positions of chairperson or vice chairpersons while four out of 32 men held positions of chairperson or vice chairperson.

Mr Mzwinila dismissed allegations claiming that younger applicants with tertiary qualification were overlooked in favour of older ones.

He indicated that the list of all board members appointed was now public knowledge and they have reported for duty.

Maun West legislator, Mr Dumelang Saleshando had asked the minister to state why he chose to appoint land board members who did not conform to requirements as stated in the public communication inviting citizens to apply for land board membership and if any appointed member were not shortlisted for interviews.

Mr Saleshando also requested the minister to state the rationale for overlooking younger applicants with tertiary qualifications in favour of the older. ENDS