14 Nov 2022

Government is in the process of establishing the physical planning function at the Landboards in effort to fast track the change of land use and sub-division of land for business purposes.

President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said this in the State of the Nation Address he delivered in Parliament November 14.

He  said that was part of the land sector reform which government started several years back, which included changes to land related issues statutes, particularly the Tribal Land Act and the Deeds Registry Act, with a view to ensure synergy and efficiency in land transactions.

The President also said as part of the reforms, a target to allocate 100 000 plots by the end of year was set to effectively address the challenge of land allocation to Batswana throughout the country and end the long waiting lists.

“As of November this year, land allocation stands at over 33 000 plots in eight months. This is a huge increase from an annual average of about 8 630 plots per year in the last 20 years. I encourage all those who are invited by the Land Boards for land allocation to heed the call, for the process to be expedited,” he said.

On rural development, President Masisi said in line with government’s objective to provide access to electricity for all households, 11 villages had been connected to the national backbone infrastructure in the Sebina-Tutume and Takatokwane-Morwamosu as promised last year.

He said a further 63 villages were being connected and were expected to be completed during the 2023/2024 financial year.

On one hand, he said the Rural Development Council (RDC) had partnered with Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) to revitalise Rural Industries Programme through commercialising community based projects.

“Our rural communities are custodians of a diverse and vast majority of natural resources endowments and how they manage and use the resources is critical,” he said.

He added that the RDC had supported several projects across rural districts, adding P2.5 million was disbursed to Kweneng and Central Districts to facilitate completion of Motlhware Nature Reserve a Letlhakeng in Kweneng West and the Mokopi Predator Park at Mokoboxane in Boteti.

Still under rural development, President Masisi said improvement of road networks in rural areas was ongoing with some of the road maintenance projects recently awarded including the Gumare-Sepopa, Sepopa-Mohembo and Sefhare-Mokobeng.

On other issues, the President said a revamped Ipelegeng Programme encompassing a skills development was launched this year.

He said the objective was to empower and equip Ipelegeng with accredited artisan skills and knowledge that would allow them to engage meaningfully in the economy.

“The new programme has been rolled out to all the districts to undertake public works,” the President said. BOPA