29 Mar 2022

Since August 2021 to-date, 47 residential plots have been allocated in Mahalapye, Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services has informed Parliament. 

Responding to a question recently, Minister Kefentse Mzwinila told legislators that 5 810 plots would be allocated in the 2022/2023 financial year. 

He indicated that the ministry considered the proposal to allocate residential plots at Tapa-La-Manong in Mahalapye North as per Mahalapye Development Plan 2032 and a detailed layout was prepared. 

“Although the layout was prepared and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) undertaken, the stakeholders felt that it is not suitable for residential use as it has rock out crops and ponds and thereby suitable for agriculture and not for residential plots,” he said. 

He added that the residential plots as per the layout were therefore not allocated, instead Mahalapye Sub-land Board allocated some poultry projects and a garden in the area.  

He also indicated that Mahalapye Sub-land Board had instead been allocating residential plots in some other parts of the village. 

“Since the date of question 649 to date, 47 residential plots have been allocated in Mahalapye with a further 173 residential plots which are ready for allocation to be disposed before end of this financial year,” he said. 

During the 2022/2023 financial year, he said, 2 720 plots were to be allocated in Mahalapye Village alone at Xhosa ward and Mahalapye West and 5 810 plots were to be allocated in the Sub-land Board area of jurisdiction. 

However, he said the ministry intended to engage a task team to investigate, scrutinise and validate the observations. 

The investigations, he added, would entail among others, mapping of the area to determine the extent of rock outcrops in the area. Mahalapye West MP, Mr David Tshere had asked for an update on progress made following a Parliamentary question on land allocation in Mahalapye West. 

Mr Tshere also asked the minister to further explain whether the ministry considered the proposal to allocate residential plots at Tapa-la-Manong in Mahalapye North as per Mahalapye Development Plan 2032 as well as setting up a ministerial technical task force to work with local authorities to accelerate design and layout of the said piece of land so that plot allocation can start without further delay. ends