13 Jul 2022

Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs has undertaken to allocate 100 624 residential plots countrywide during the current financial year.

 Speaking at a Botswana Association of Tribal Land Authorities (BATLA) organised media conference on Monday, the ministry’s permanent secretary Ms Bonolo Khumotaka said  39 201 plots were ready for allocation this month.

The remainder would be allocated during the rest of the financial year as base-maps  were still at design stage, she said.

Ms Khumotaka said strategies were in place to accelerate land allocation including vetting waiting lists to identify applicants already directly allocated by land boards.

She said notification of those eligible for allocation had been centralised while  land board processes had been streamlined to ensure plots were assigned quickly as and when they were ready.

“We have considered outsourcing some of the core activities at the land boards such as preparation of detailed layouts and surveying plots,” she said.

Ms Khumotaka encouraged citizens to pay their rentals saying land boards used the funds to finance  their activities and augment government budgetary provisions. Meanwhile, BATLA president, Mr Johane Chenjekwa informed the audience that customary land grants were now registrable with the Registrar of Deeds.

They included fixed period state grants, government leases, customary land grants (including transfers) and tribal leases (residential, commercial, industrial, civic and community land uses), he said.

Mr Chenjekwa said secure land titles would unlock the economic value of tribal land and reduce costs for citizens as there would be no more fees for private surveying and conveyancing.

“There will be more accurate and reliable information, which will enhance prompt and informed decision making, which in turn will guard against fraud and forgery” he said. BOPA