06 Nov 2013

Freehold land accounts for 3.7 per cent of the total land in Botswana, says the Minister of Lands and Housing, Mr Lebonaamang Mokalake.

Mr Mokalake noted that it had been a challenge to provide information on the ownership of all freehold land. Mr Mokalake said this was due to the manual nature in which the records were kept at the Deeds Registry and the numerous number of subdivisions, as well as land transfers that had taken place over the years and continue to take place almost on a daily basis.

That notwithstanding, he said from a sample taken from 401 freehold farms and residential properties in Gaborone, Lobatse and Ghanzi, indications were that about 90 per cent of freehold land was in the hands of citizens.

“I wish to indicate that my ministry is in the process of computerising the Deeds Registry Records and this will make future retrieval of such information amongst others much easier,” he stated. Okavango MP, Mr Bagalatia Arone had asked the minister to state the total percentage of freehold land in Botswana and the amount of the land that is in the hands of citizens. ENDS