08 Mar 2023

Government does not pay salaries to land overseers but only appearance allowance equivalent to that of land board members are paid when engaged.

Answering a question in Parliament on Monday, Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila explained that land overseers were neither land board members nor employees hence they did not qualify for a salary.

Dr Mzwinila added that the overseers were nominated by Bogosi and community members as their representatives where land boards needed their guidance in land allocations.

“The land overseers partake in land administration by showing the land board areas of land that have not been allocated to avoid double allocations and encroachments. This practice was established after the transfer of land administration from Dikgosi to the Land Boards as Bogosi allocations were not documented,” he said.

In addition, Dr Mzwinila said the ministry had no plans to incorporate land overseers in the land boards payroll, adding the current dispensation of paying an allowance as and when their services were needed was sufficient.

Moreover, he said with the current digitilisation reforms of land registration, services of the land overseers may not be needed going forward.

Member of Parliament for Tonota, Mr Pono Moatlhodi had wanted to know if it was true that land overseers countrywide were not paid salaries despite their responsibilities as well as plans to normalise the situation. ENDS