23 Mar 2014

Service delivery is compromised at the Kgatleng Land Board because government departments poorly attend board meetings, says board chairperson, Mr Bamquo Mogome.

Officially opening the board meeting at the main land board in Mochudi recently, Mr Mogome said government departments played a major role in advising and assisting the land board to deliver services to Batswana.

He said their attendance was important because they gave advice on development and physical planning issues and they were able to make informed decisions. The board chairpeson said all important stakeholders were invited to the meeting despite their absence.

Mr Mogome said when the board came into office in 2011, they did the best they could to deliver services to people despite shortage of resources. He said board members were able to make difficult and unpopular decisions during their tenure, giving an example of the demolition of squatters at Mmamashia and Malotwane.

Mr Mogome emphasised the importance of obeying the law, adding that members took a decision to set an example to others that no one was above the law. He admitted that the decision was tough, but that they had to do it. “Today there are no squatters around those areas,” he said

Mr Mogome said it was during their time that they were faced with a lawsuit from one of the resident, Mr Abraham Malan who claimed that the area between Mochudi and Pilane belonged to him.

The board won the case at the Court of Appeal with the plaintiff losing with costs. Mr Mogome said what it meant was that all those buildings which were situated in the area, among them government buildings and houses, Sefalana and BPC would have been demolished to give way to the claimant.

He said the farm measuring six by six kilometers was nearly lost as he offered them an out of court settlement of P850 million to purchase the farm. Mr Mogome commended board members for a job well done as they would be leaving the office at the end of the month.

Earlier one of the board members, Mr Edward Morokotso complained of the absence of important departments to board meetings looking at the role they played in service delivery.

He said he was grateful to have been part of a team that wanted the best for the district, adding that they came up with initiatives to better address all land issues. ENDS