Tlokweng: 60 000 await land allocation 

Tlokweng Land board is racing against time to service a waiting list running to over 60 000 applicants, dating back to 2015 as the tribal territory grapples with acute shortage of land on the outskirts of Gaborone city. Providing an update on the waiting list on Thursday, Tlokweng board Chairperson, Elijah Katse said the waiting list remains the largest in Botswana, currently sitting at over 60 000. Katse said due to the overwhelming waiting list, the board in 2020 took a decision to review and clean the waiting list with the processed aimed at addressing multiple applications., deceased applicants etc. 

According to Katse, one of the challenges faced during the application process starting 2015 is that applicants were applying through the post offices hence that resulted in mix up of the applications. “The demand for land is high in Tlokweng and this become a challenge because Tlokweng is one of the smallest tribal territories. It is not easy to get land from masimo owners. The community still want to maintain masimo,” said Katse. He noted that as part of the revised Tlokweng Development Plan 2001- 2030, the board has secured 1600 plots in the phase 1 of allocation in Sefoke ward and consultations are still ongoing with other land owners to access more land for phase 2. 

Katse also said another portion of land would be allocated at Maratadiba, adding that for the financial year 2024/25 land board is left with 147 residential plots for allocation. “However, allocation of this plots were delayed due to heavy rains and flooding. The plots will be allocated in Ramfurwa and we are confident that the allocation process will begin soon,” said Katse. Moreover, Katse said Squatters or illegal land occupants are becoming a thorn on their flesh especially at masimo land with people occupying land under the pretext of pursuing farming, but later on proceed to construct modern buildings. 

Meanwhile, Board Secretary Kealeboga Kemoreile said the board took over a year to capture the applications and concluded screening of the waiting list in November last year. 

He said the board employed non land board employees and some mistakes were captured on the application process with that throwing the process into a lengthy spell. Kemoreile said some of the issues observed during the original waiting list from the administrative perspective, include those 609 applications of deceased persons existed, 123 applications rejected by the board during interviews, 285 missing applications as were not captured and 642 duplicate applications.