26 Sep 2013

The minister of Lands and Housing says it will be unfortunate for Mochaba village not to be recognised as a ward of Shorobe village since it is close to 2km away from Shorobe.

Responding to calls by residents of Shorobe and Mochaba to recognise the latter as a village, Mr Lebonaamang Mokalake said settlements which are less than 10km away from villages are recognised as wards of those villages, provided there is concrete evidence that those settlements were allocated accordingly by dikgosi before land boards were in existence.

“Sadly those that were not allocated plots and decided to erect homes in Mochaba are squatters, but ministry officials will come back and address this issue and map a proper way forward. If you were not allocated land by land board officials or dikgosi, then you are a squatter,” he said.

Mr Bonang Maplanka of Shorobe observed that tourism is more important than people having decent land for farming.

“We are forever on the receiving end of being relocated from our farming lands to make way for animals,” he said. He indicated that decisions have been taken to displace some farmers in Shorobe to make way for the Ecotourism Park and the buffalo fence. Minister Mokalake disputed such claims and saying nothing has been decided yet as consultations are underway.

“People are not going to be displaced by the alignment of the buffalo fence. It was suggested that the buffalo fence is not effective when it runs through a river because it cannot be maintained properly hence suggestions were made to bring it to land hence closer to some ranches,” he said. He indicated that the sole reason for the alignment of the fence is to control the movement of animals especially buffaloes. ENDS