14 Sep 2022

Moeti East residents in Maun have decried a sluggish process in allocation of residential plots in their ward.

Speaking at a kgotla meeting addressed by MP for Maun West, Mr Dumelang Saleshando on Tuesday, some residents said it had been over 10 years since they had applied for plots but were still awaiting allocation.

They also complained that Moeti East was also lagging behind in basic amenities be it school or clinic as compared to other wards in Maun.

Residents further told their  MP that there was ample land behind Maun airport and therefore called the land board to expedite allocating residential and business plots to make the area look attractive.

In response, Maun sub-landboard chairperson, Mr Tebogo Bethia explained that they had scheduled to allocate plots in Moeti East but they found many squatters occupying that land.

“We then halted plans to allocate land and wrote notices to the squatters for them to vacate the area,” he told residents.

Mr Bethia also stated that the land board was currently in negotiations to claim farms in Moeti East to convert them into businesses and mini industrial areas.

For his part, Mr Saleshando advised residents to find an empty plot in their ward to build a pre-school which would be run by the Village Development Committee to generate income.

He acknowledged that developments were lagging behind in Moeti East, especially amenities like clinics and primary school. The MP also informed them that recently, government took a decision to allocate un-serviced land to address the delays.

However, he warned them that un-serviced land would also bring challenges and expenses.

On other issues, Mr Saleshando explained that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, planned projects were halted because constituency funds were used in fighting the pandemic.

“However the constituency funds disbursement was resumed this year in April but note that there are many pending projects. So I would suggest that these funds be channeled to education in order to revive academic performance in Ngamiland District because Ngamiland is always sitting at the bottom in academic performance,” he said.

He also told residents that plans were underway to give every primary school laptops and computers for lower classes because government had already planned to give upper classes.

“It is important for learners to be introduced to technology at a young age so that they are at par with learners in urban areas,” he added.

Kgosi Kerakilwe Nkape of Moeti East expressed concern about the lack of schools in his ward, which he said made children to walk long distances in the bush to access schools in other wards.

Kgosi Nkape also said meetings were convened in a Kgotla shelter because they did not have offices, something he said had since proven a challenge during rains. ends