21 Oct 2013

Tswapong North legislator, Mr Prince Maele says he has reservations about the Land Policy section which states that people in peri-urban areas should be given priority in land allocation.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Tsetsebye and Moletemane recently, Mr Maele said that section of the policy was discriminatory and had potential to promote tribalism. He stated that the policy wanted to use a quota system  to offer priority to allocation of land to indigenous people of villages around urban centres and argued that to curb tribalism it was supposed to be applied at all areas not peri-urban areas.

He said land, being an infinite resource, must be enjoyed and allocated to every citizen irrespective of one’s origin. “The quota system is not good for the nation because it is controversial in the sense that it could cause disunity among Batswana.”

Land just like other natural resources such as diamonds, he said land should be allocated equally irrespective of tribal territories. Mr Maele said water and minerals had been nationalised and every citizen was benefiting from such resource.

Diamonds, copper, coal and other minerals are being enjoyed without quota being imposed and a larger share being given to indigenous tribes where such resources originate, he said. He said MP’s representing areas nearer to urban centres cordially supported the policy because it favoured their electorates.

Mr Maele’s sentiments were shared by Tsetsebye resident, Mr Kago Moshashane who argued that the eastern part of the country had many dams that supplied water to peri-urban areas that enjoyed water than the indigenous people.

He said rural-urban migration was due to resources being taken to urban areas forcing people to migrate and follow them at urban areas. Mr Moshashane said it would be a grave mistake for MPs to pass the policy in the next Parliament session.

Furthermore, Mr Maele briefed residents that 13 laws were passed during the winter session namely Legal aid Act, Banking Amendment Act, National Development transition Act, VAT amendment Bill, customary court amendment act and One-Stop-Border post bill among  others.

The NDB transition act, he said, would facilitate the commercialisation and privatisation of the bank while government would have a 51 percent stake.   Concerning Tsetsebye/Moletemane road, he said it was not included in National Development Plan 10 and residents should argue for it to be maintained regularly.   Mr Maele also advised farmers to be prepared to plough in rows because the ISPAAD programme would only pay for such. ENDS