06 Jul 2023

Tawana Land board has been urged to present a comprehensive report on the action taken against the Chinese company illegally occupying land at Sedie ward before the end of the ongoing North West District Council session.  

Councillors expressed disappointment at the Land Board Charipersons’s response whe councillors demanded for the report during the session.

 The Land Board had Mr Emmanuel Dube had informed the house that they had embarked on investigations to get to the bottom of the matter. 

Though the land  is said  to have been legally allocated to Co-Plant Botswana Company which was engaged on the expansion of the Maun Airport in 2009, the land was currently occupied by the Chinese company. 

Mr Dube explained that the issue was initially handled by Maun sub land board and efforts were made to call Co-Plant leadership, with the latter failing to show up hence they handed the matter to the main land board which has the powers to request for an eviction order.

“If we identify a squatter, we to call the concerned parties and find a way to resolve the matter and this is what did. 

“If Co-Plant Botswana Company leadership failed to show, then we can consider an eviction order,” he added. 

Despite the response, councillors expressed disappointment and accused land board for taking time to act saying that the matter had dragged for 10 years.

Councillors argued that the company had been occupying the land since 2013 for free and the relevant authority failed to act accordingly even though the board was notified on numerous counts. 

During March council session, councillors had called for the eviction and demolishment of the Chinese company structures since they were not the legal occupants. 

Mr Dube then advised that it was not procedural and pleaded with councillors to give them time to seek answers from Co-Plant Botswana Company.  

However, Sedie area councillor, Mr Kaukapita Kaukapita said the matter had been pending for more than 10 years and the land board failed to take action accordingly. 

Mr Kaukapita said it was worrying that despite Co-Plant Botswana’s failure to honour the agreed P1 000 monthly rental fees they found it proper to rent the plot to other companies.

“There is no need to investigate the issue because land board has no agreement with the Chinese company hence we call for the company to be evicted,” he added. 

Cllr Ntlogelang Kebonyekgotla of Boyei ward has therefore suggusted that they  should seek the minister’s intervention if the company was not evicted.  ENDS