19 Dec 2022

Tawana Land Board, through stakeholder collaboration has made efforts to respond positively to President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s call to accelerate the process of making land available for Batswana.

Speaking at an annual chairman’s ball, land board chairperson, Mr Emmanuel Dube said the board managed to allocate 9 335 plots, which were readily available between April and July 2022.

He said the board had a target to allocate 17 918 residential plots in the 2022/23 financial year against the national target of 100 000 plots.

Mr Dube said the board did not reach the target due to some instances of people who did not turn up for board interviews.

He noted that Maun Sub-land board had, from April to date, allocated 4 740 plots in villages of Makalamabedi, Matsaudi, Matlapana, Maun, Chanoga and Komana while Sehithwa Sub-land board allocated 542 residential plots in Sehithwa same period.

In addition, he said Nokaneng allocated only 36 plots as there were no plots for allocation in the area, save for those that had been returned by clients who preferred to be allocated elsewhere else while Gumare Sub-land board managed to allocate 498 plots in villages of Etsha 6, Nxaunxau and Gumare.

Shakawe and Seronga allocated 1 382 and 85 plots respectively.

Mr Dube explained that there were 51 plots without applicants  in Tsodilo and pleaded with those with interest to apply for them.

In terms of land availability to meet demand as evidenced by the growing waiting lists, the chairperson revealed that the board had plots at different stages leading to allocation, citing stages such as approved layouts pending surveying.

Most of the layouts in the districts, he said, were still awaiting the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) clearance, adding that some had been waived and were due for surveying.

The surveying exercise, he said, had been outsourced to private practitioners, noting that in Tsau about 344 plots would be surveyed, Somelo 703, Makakung 248 while 452 plots are in Semboyo.

Mr Dube further informed the gathering that the board had also submitted 3 257 plot layouts to the Department of Surveys and Mapping for examination and approval, a process he said would be followed by allocation.

With regard to tenders for commercial plots, he said tender adjudication was in the final stage, citing that there were five villages from which applications for the tendered commercial plots were received.

“The tender adjudication team has completed adjudication for four villages of Seronga, Gumare, Nokaneng and Sehithwa and currently the team is working on the last village, which is Maun and it will then submit to the board for interviews and allocation to successful applicants,” he added.

Stakeholders also learnt that the board had managed to re-register 2 2458 residential plots in the whole Ngamiland District.

Mr Dube expressed concern that the number was low, but stated that the board had intensified re-registration by visiting some dikgotla to bring services closer to the people.

However, he commended management and employees for the job well done despite the challenges they faced.

Shakawe Sub-land board chairperson, Mr Ridah Shoma acknowledged that they had experienced a lot of improvement for the last four years as far as land allocation was concerned and thanked all stakeholders who played a key role in creating an enabling environment for Tawana Land Board to discharge its mandate, which is land allocation to the community.

Land board alone, he said, could not succeed without their effort, noting that land issues required all to work together and strive for the best.

“Land is an embodiment of wealth and if it is not handled with care, wrong decisions can impact negatively on people’s lives and eventually the economy of the country,” he added,

Lastly, Mr Shoma commended land board management and employees for the immense contribution they made towards the achievement of its mandate. ENDS