15 Feb 2024

A land board as a body corporate requires different professionals for execution of its functions.

Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila said Section 4 of the Tribal Land Act provided that all the rights and title to land in each tribal area were vested in the land board in trust for the benefit and advantage of citizens.

Dr Mzwinila said there was need for the land board to be inclusive of the people of all other cadres and backgrounds so that the different economic and social development anchors were taken on board in land management and administration.

He said to that end in appointing members of the land boards all efforts were made to strike a balance in composition of the board in terms of gender, age, geographical representation, in addition to academic qualifications and performance of candidates during the interview.

Moreover, Dr Mzwinila explained that the land board was not only about land allocation, but rather various functions which included, but not limited to, land registration, planning, financial management and strategic planning.

He added that board members with expertise on other fields were key to the running and operations of the board.

Furthermore, Dr Mzwinila said as per the provisions of section 7 (b) of the Tribal Land Act, three ex-officio members being kgosi, representatives from ministries responsible for trade and agriculture, were appointed to enhance the skills and expertise within the board.

The minister said it was an indication that a board could not consist of one cadre but needed people with diverse skills, adding that in terms of relevant qualifications related to land management the staff of the land board were appointed and developed in various land management professions.

Dr Mzwinila said having both land board staff and land board members having the same qualification would be redundant.

The MP for Selebi Phikwe East, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana had asked the minister if given the complexity of land management and administration issues, it was not time that the qualification of appointment of land board membership be on the basis of relevant qualification related to land management. ENDS