Lands and Housing minister Nonofo Molefhi this week said he is currently awaiting a report from Tlokweng Land Board regarding the allocation of plots, which the land board stopped last month. Tlokweng Land Board moved swiftly late last month and stopped the allocation of 300 plots under unclear circumstances.
This led to applicants making regular visits to Batlokwa deputy chief Michael Gaborone to seek clarification on the matter. In an interview this week, Molefhi said it would be a perfect time for him to address the concerned parties once a report has been compiled. He said an issue of such nature needs time. He said he could not just address complainants without knowing the nature and extent of the problem under study. Tlokweng land board secretary, Neo Mothobi, told Botswana Guardian on Wednesday that they have completed the report and submitted it to the ministry’s Permanent Secretary. She could not confirm whether the minister had seen the report or not.
On a related matter, Molefhi said the allocation of ranches in the Boteti area was just a storm in a teacup. Member of Parliament (MP) for Boteti Slumber Tsogwane last week called on parliament to ask Molefhi to stop the allocation of 30 ranches in the Boteti area by the Ngwato Land Board, which were advertised for potential applicants in the local media a few weeks ago. The advertised ranches are in the Kaka/ Western Sandveld area.
Tsogwane said the land to be allocated has been used by Basarwa for grazing their livestock over the years and that by allocating it to a select few could prove disastrous to the ‘poor’. In an interview, Molefhi said as far as he is concerned the ranches under discussion were demarcated in 1998 and awaited allocation to buyers. He said adverts were floated in the press for interested parties to apply and that deadline had been set for July 22. However, on Wednesday Bamangwato Land Board extended the date for those willing to apply for the said ranches to August 11, 2010.
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