28 Nov 2022

Land for village expansion will be provided for communities surrounded by S02 wildlife management area to facilitate plot allocations, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Mabuse Pule, has said.

Responding to a question in Parliament on behalf of the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, he said the ministry was also in the process of allocating residential land in the area as 221 plots would be allocated in Sekoma and 169 in Khakhea.

He said the redesigns of the farms which had provided a buffer zone of 20 km radius from the nearest village had given room for village expansion and to cater for residential plots.

Villages within a 70 km radius of the S02 wildlife management area include Mabutsane, Sekoma, Khakhea, Kokong, Morwamosu, Khonkhwa and Keng, while Settlements are Kanaku, Itholoke, Mahotshwane and Kutuku.

The assistant minister said the last leadership consultation meeting with Mabutsane Sub-council on August 22 to 30, resolved that there should be a buffer zone between the farms and the villages.

On the wildlife population within the S02 wildlife management area, he noted that there were 734 animals consisting of 414 Ostrich, 192 Steenbok, 64 Duiker, 32 Gemsbok and 32 Warthog as of 2018.

Furthermore, Mr Pule said in 2012 government made a decision to de-zone the S02 wildlife management area to mixed use of livestock and game ranches, hence the process of gazettement of the area was halted.

Jwaneng/Mabutsane MP Mr Mephato Reatile had wanted the minister to state villages and settlements within a 70 kilometres radius of the S02 wildlife management area and obligation of government to communities surrounded by S02 wildlife management area.

He also inquired about how the ministry intended to provide land for residential use for the constituents and the wildlife population within the S02 wildlife management area. ENDs