05 Dec 2021

Tati Land Board is grappling with illicit land dealing in Tatisiding. Given its proximity to Francistown, the village has become a target from people who tend to gravitate towards more developed areas.

Speaking at an Anti-Corruption day in Tatisiding on Saturday, Tati Land Board chairperson, Mr Nixon Mogapi, said the increase in corrupt land dealings was part of the reason the land board held a second Anti-Corruption Day in the village.

He said Tati Land Board had detected several cases of registration and transfer of plots using forged documents as well as inheritance of land by undeserving heirs in the village.

Mr Mogapi said such fraud partly succeeded because some perpetrators colluded with Tati Land Board staff.

“But rest assured Tati Land Board is alert and has done all it could to ensure that action is taken against all those involved in the illegal activities,” warned Mr Mogapi. He also admitted that perpetrators often took advantage of poor record keeping in land boards, “but once again we assure the community of Tatisiding that with the introduction of LAPCAS, great improvements have been made.”

Therefore, he urged Batswana to appreciate LAPCAS so to take care of their generational inheritance besides playing a role in combating corruption.

He said the board valued their feedback because it helped them to develop processes geared towards preventing corruption.

Speaking at the same event, DCEC principal anti-corruption prevention officer, Mr Kenneth Osupile, cautioned Batswana against corruption, saying combating crime, including corruption, was not for the police and anti-corruption agencies only but society as well.

Mr Osupile further said corruption was fueled by excess power resulting from abuse of office and position. “When those in power start to abuse office, that constitutes corruption,” he added.

He also stated that corruption thrived where there was discretionary power especially in public offices as perpetrators used loopholes in the law to create short cuts. Mr Osupile indicated that corruption in Botswana increased drastically during the outbreak of COVID-19 because to some it was an opportunity to commit crime through procurement activities. He also indicated that the DCEC was inundated with such cases.  

On other issues, Mr Osupile explained that part of the tribal land was in the hands of foreigners whilst Batswana remained landless due to corruption.

He called on Batswana to work hand in hand with anti-corruption agencies and the police in order to fight corruption.

He said most Batswana ignored their role to report corruption hence abdicating their responsibility.

Mr Osupile said land was a valuable assets to which everyone should have equal access to because it was a basic need.

He lamented that some of those involved in illicit land dealings were land overseers, adding that some people lived beyond their means and owning property they could not account for.

“No matter how small valuable consideration is, it can send you to jail,” he warned.

Meanwhile, in his welcome remarks, Kgosi Simon Nkgageng of Tatisiding, decried land crime in his village, noting that part of the problem stemmed from undeveloped plots that some people used in corrupt dealings. ENDS