14 Sep 2022

 North West District councillors have resolved to seek intervention from the minister of Local Government and Rural Development on the pending issue of recognition of Ditshiping settlement.

They argued that the issue dated back to 2017 following the council resolution to request a special waiver to gazette the said settlement on compassionate grounds since the area had difficulty accessing services because of its location in the Okavango Delta. 

If recognised as a village, they said Ditshiping would benefit other nearby settlements. 

Councillors made the resolution as they were not satisfied withministry’s response which stated that they were still engaging stakeholders who were critical in provision of infrastructure and services.

The ministry further reported that the conclusive position by cabinet would be communicated to the district when available to close the matter.

However, councillors were not happy with the answer and took a consensus to invite the minister to their council to fully update them on progress on the matter.  

The area councillor, Mr Luke Motlaleselo expressed disappointment on over the delay in addressing the issue saying it was almost five years without an answer from the ministry. 

Councillor for Sedie ward, Mr Kaukapita Kaukapita also decried the delay and said government did not see the urgency of to resolve the matter despite council’s efforts to make follow ups.

Council chairperson, Mr Kebareeditse Ntsogotho, who is councillor for Khwai/Mababe concurred that the issue had been under discussion for so long adding that recently, he engaged the director of Rural Development on the matter who revealed that they had completed consultations from council level and submitted a report to the ministry for approval.

Councillors also complained about the pending Mababe land issue despite a response from the ministry of Lands and Water Affairs that a technical committee was established to facilitate a decision on the resolution after embarking on a consultation programme from the August 25 to September 3 this year.

The committee was led by the director of department of Lands accompanied by North West District Council chairman, Tawana Land Board chairperson, district commissioner and council secretary who travelled to Mababe for a joint meeting with village leadership and other structures on September 1 this year.

The response came after the area councillor, Mr Ntsogotho passed a motion requesting the ministry to address the Mababe residents about the village being in state land.

Mababe is situated in a concession area NG 41 classified as a state land and administrated by department of lands only. The issue dated back to 2016 in which the ministry gave residents options to acquire plots under state land, tribal land or opt to be relocated and they opted to be allocated plots under state land. ends