22 Oct 2013

Government is considering establishing the Land Tribunal as an independent authority, Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Nonofo Molefhi has said.

This, he said, when addressing members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi during the 13th meeting of the 2nd Ntlo ya Dikgosi in Gaborone, Monday, October 21. Minister Molefhi was presenting the 2013 Land Tribunal bill No. 14 of 2013 to Ntlo ya Dikgosi on behalf of the Minister of Lands and Housing Mr Lebonaamang Mokalake.

Mr Molefhi said it was important for authorities such as the Land Tribunal to operate as independent bodies as this would give Batswana a chance to get all time service from the tribunal.

He said, the independence of bodies such as the Land Tribunal would actually assure increase in efficiency, especially with regards to speedily addressing and settling land disputes. He highlighted that the establishment of the Land Tribunal as an independent body, would however not be so sudden as there were a lot of processes that needs to be undertaken to assure its independence.

The minister was responding to a comment that was made by North East Region Kgosi Maruje Masunga. Kgosi Masunga had asked the minister to consider establishing the Land Tribunal as an independent body.

His comment surfaced as the house came to understand, during the debate of the bill that the Land Tribunal was governed by the Public Service Act.The Land Tribunal according to the bill, shall have a Chief Land Tribunal President who shall be appointed in accordance with the Public Service Act.

Minister Molefhi presented the bill which he highlighted was imperative to enact a standalone law that would consider appeals in accordance with the provisions of both the Tribal Land Act and the Town and Country Planning Act. The object of the bill, Mr Molefhi said was to re – establish Land Tribunals through an Act of Parliament.

He explained that the existing Land Tribunal could only hear appeals from the Land Boards. Once passed, Minister Molefhi said the act would assure the expansion of the tribunals mandate to empower them to also hear planning appeals. ENDS