01 May 2023

There is need for land boards to benchmark against one another to share business acumen.

Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila said this during a meeting with Chobe Land Board members and staff in Kasane on Friday, where he stated that three land boards out of 12 countrywide performed exceptionally well by meeting their set targets.

He highlighted that those land boards should share their models of operations with those that were performing below par so that all land boards would excel at delivering service to Batswana.

Dr Mzwinila commended Chobe Land Board for being amongst the three top achievers, having achieved their milestones for the year 2022/23.

He urged the board to avoid being complacent.

“We don’t need to cross borders for benchmarking as land board because we have our own land boards that are excelling and I promise that we are going to capitalise on this as a ministry and bring all others to the same level,” he said.

Furthermore, the minister stated that it was imperative for those who failed to meet their goals to acknowledge their shortcomings and be willing to be equipped to improve on their efficiency.

Dr Mzwinila pointed out that land boards were currently experiencing delays to deliver the Secure Land Title (SLT) due to staff shortages at Department of Surveys and Mapping, adding that they had outsourced services from Botswana companies to expedite the process.

The minister said part of the forest reserve land at Lesoma had been gazetted for tribal land. He said thorough consultation would be done as such arrangement affected many stakeholders.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Land and Water Affairs, Dr Kekgonne Baipoledi stated that it was their goal to automate all systems at land boards so that people could be assisted from the comfort of their homes.

He said they were working on staffing norms to ensure uniformity in all structures across land boards.

This, he said, would bring change as some officers would be transferred and deployed elsewhere.

Responding to the issue of risk allowance for land surveyors in wildlife infested areas like Chobe, he said risk allowance was technical in that allowance did not eliminate a risk hence they should explore strategies that would eliminate the risk.

Chobe Land Board chairperson, Mr Johane Chenjekwa commended his board and staff for meeting their targets.

He highlighted that they allocated the last piece of tribal land in Kazungula last year with 1 200 plots which meant that there was no portion left for allocation as the  area was surrounded by state land in forest reserves.

He said they identified land at Lesoma that could be gazetted as tribal land hence they had written to permanent secretary with an expectation to allocate the 7 000 requests awaiting in Lesoma.

Mr Chenjekwa pointed out that Chobe Land Board was open for bench marking.

Officers requested that the ministry should consider paying risk allowance for officers working in wildlife infested areas.

Furthermore they held the view that awards should be reinstated in order to reward excelling officers and entities that performed well and further motivate those that were below performing par. ENDS