14 Dec 2023

The Lobatse Regeneration Plan Guidelines and Standards (2019-2036) has identified areas within Lobatse that need to be restored to attract investment to the town.

The plan compiled in conjunction with Lobatse Town Council and Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs was launched on November 24, 2022 and it provided specific proposals for each site that was in a bad state of repair and further provided strategic interventions.

This was revealed by the Assistant Minster of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Mabuse Pule on behalf of the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs in Parliament.

Mr Pule said the Lobatse Regeneration Plan Guidelines and Standards (2019-2036) were meant to address the investment challenges facing  Lobatse, which were caused by the status of its infrastructure including the old and abandoned buildings.

He said the implementing authorities for the plan were Lobatse Town Council and respective government ministries, agencies and private sector organisations.

However, Mr Pule said a comprehensive inventory of abandoned buildings in Lobatse had not been done but stated that in 2014, eight properties considered to be abandoned were identified in the town centre.

In addition, he said there were other buildings which were in the hands of government and state-owned agencies in Lobatse including the Old Legislative Council, which was listed under the Department of Museum and Art Gallery, the old Chief Justice Residence and Lobatse Town Council building.

Mr Pule said a notice was issued in terms of Acquisition Property Act in August 2014 with the intention to acquire some of the eight dilapidated and undeveloped properties in the town centre. 

Subsequent to the advertisement of the notice, Mr Pule said the ministry received representations from the owners of the properties laying claim to the properties.

Furthermore, Mr Pule said the property owners indicated that they would attend to the state of the buildings. 

“Some of the properties have been developed. Therefore, there is no consideration to repossess any old and abandoned properties in Lobatse,” he said.

Mr Pule was responding to a question from the Lobatse Member of Parliament, Dr Thapelo Matsheka who had wanted to know the number of abandoned or unused buildings in Lobatse. 

The MP also wanted to know whether consideration was being made to repossess such buildings given that most of the owners no longer resided in the town.

Dr Matsheka further asked whether it was considered by government that such buildings constrained the development of the town. ends