01 Dec 2022

Government is not in a position to meet residents of Gaborone North halfway by providing infrastructure from government expenditure since the area is in a freehold which falls outside the portfolio responsibility of government in terms of infrastructure provision.

Responding to a question in Parliament, the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs Dr Kefentse Mzwinila said the private developer in a freehold land was responsible for providing water and sanitation services infrastructure.

He also explained that where services had been provided, land outside tribal areas was sold at cost recovery prices, however, in free land, proceeds from the sale plots would not accrue to government.

“As such Gaborone North farms are owned by different private developers who undertake service provision within their housing estates. 

The scheme remains with the developer for a period of five years and thereafter it is inherited by government for operation and maintenance,” he said

He acknowledged that Gaborone North farms and other freehold land parcels had helped ease the need for residential plots within Gaborone.

Gaborone North MP Mr Mpho Balopi had asked if government would consider meeting residents of Gaborone North halfway by providing them with water from the national grid as well as sanitation services since the farms had helped to ease the need for residential plots within Gaborone. Ends