05 Dec 2022

The process of amending the Sectional Titles Act to facilitate the sale of flats by Botswana Housing Corporation has met with some challenges during the consultation stage.

Answering a question in Parliament, the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila said the Act had universal application and that the challenge of BHC in disposing of its flats was unique to it as a parastatal charged with provision of housing for Batswana.

He explained that the Act required that all tenants be accorded an opportunity to purchase the Units at the time of sale, a provision that BHC has to comply with together with its mandate.

Further, he said it was not the intention of the legislature to draft a selective law or a law that would be cumbersome to developers especially where government wants to leverage the private sector for land servicing and subsequent provision of shelter.

He thus emphasised that there was no need to amend the Sectional Titles Act to allow or facilitate BHC to sell its fats or housing stock.

“The onus is on BHC to consider reviewing its internal processes of renting and disposing of its properties to comply with the act and its mandate,” he said.

The Minister’s response followed a question from Francistown South Member of Parliament Mr Wynter Mmolotsi regarding progress made to the amendment of the Sectional Titles Act to allow for the purchase of BHC flats. BOPA