26 Feb 2024

Batswana have started to reap benefits from the land zoning pronouncement since they can now engage in other economic activities on their agricultural lands.

This was said by Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila when updating Parliament on the land zoning pronouncement that Batswana could now use 50 per cent of their ploughing fields for other economic activities.

He said his ministry has developed guidelines for change of land use titled: ‘Amendment of the development control code with respect to mixed land use’. He noted that the guidelines came into effect on October 14 2019.

Mr Mzwinila further said the main purpose of the guidelines were to facilitate planning and on the implementation of the changes to the development control code to achieve uniformity in their applications.

He said the aforementioned amended guidelines had introduced 50 per cent non-agricultural land use on agricultural land. “As a result, the zoning and title of certificates where 50 per cent of the plot is used for non-agricultural activity is now issued to reflect the land use as agriculture-mixed use,” he explained.

Member of Parliament for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi had asked the minister to give an update on progress regarding the pronouncement that Batswana could use part of their fields for other businesses. ends