12 Dec 2013

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands and Housing, Mr Thato Raphaka said the New Revised Town and Country Planning Act 2013 will give local authorities including districts councils control in land planning matters.

He said the Town and Country Planning Board has been disbanded and replaced with Land Tribunal at district levels. Mr Raphaka was addressing the Southern district full council meeting held in Kanye recently. He said the Act will empower the local authorities to make timely decisions on matters of land planning and development.

Mr Raphaka explained that the revision came with the view to bring land services closer to the people after realising that the law that used to regulate land planning was too central. He highlighted that the Physical Planning Committee in councils will involve two councillors and six officials from planning, environment, business and other relevant fields, the arrangement that will take effect April 2014.

Raphaka further explained that the whole motive behind the Act was to involve districts in the planning process, adding it would also alleviate cases of having to move some people from certain areas to give way for developments. Earlier in his opening speech, Southern district council chairperson, Mr Leach Tlhomelang declared that Moshupa, Mabutsane and Goodhope villages are now planning areas.

He said the district is currently facilitating the gazettement of the villages by surveying their proposed planning area boundaries. He noted that surveying of Goodhope boundary has been completed and submitted to the department of Surveys for approval, while Mabutsane is in the process of survey by the Land Board. Meanwhile, councilors have welcomed the Act and requested the Ministry of Lands and Housing to speed up the guide lines process.

They called for ploughing fields to be included in the planning areas. ENDS