24 Mar 2024

The Land Tribunal is considering regular sittings in an endeavor to speed up discharge of justice.

Chief Land Tribunal president Ms Sampi Kaisara revealed this during the Gaborone Division Land Tribunal stakeholder workshop recently.

Ms Kaisara was responding to stakeholders who had suggested  that the court have regular meetings to address interlocutory matters, which often delay completion of cases on time.

She said that though the court was performing satisfactorily, there was a need to speed up case completion.

The Chief Land Tribunal president stated that from April 2023 to February this year, 325 cases had been completed within the set timeframe.

“This is one of the best performance you can get in court,” Ms Kaisara said, adding that however, there was room for improvement. She further highlighted that the Gaborone Division experienced most delays as a result of voluminous cases it received. To address the shortcomings, she said the Land Tribunal was in the process of getting other court presidents to assist the Gaborone Division.

Also, she said the Land Tribunal was in the process of having its regulations, which would also be rules of the court.

 She said the court was also initiating for the review of the Land Tribunal Act, which had been in operation for 10 years and had gaps and constraints that needed correction.

The review, she stated, would also address some of the constraints to speed up finalisation of cases.

Also, she said the Land Tribunal regularly conducted circuit courts to bring its services closer to people, adding that such have already been carried out in places such as Gantsi, Letlhakeng and Ngwaketse area.

For her part, Gaborone Division Land Tribunal president, Ms Motlhalefi Baipaakanyi said stakeholder consultation offered a platform to discuss issues which impede land dispensation.

Ms Baipaakanyi said stakeholder engagement would help the Land Tribunal achieve its mandate. She said Batswana benefited from policy direction and laws emanating from such forums.

Held under the theme; Transformation in Justice Delivery, the stakeholder engagement workshop brought together stakeholders such as land boards, local government physical planners and Dikgosi. ENDS