Over 57 000 on waiting list as Tlokweng runs of of land
Tlokweng Land Board Chairman Elijah Katse says Tlokweng village has zero land left to give and all those who have applied for residential plots there should consider applying elsewhere in the country.
Katse says they have more than 57 000 people in their waiting list and with the way things stand, it is not possible to give all of them land.
“We are heading to a point where we will soon come out and tell them all that the land is completely finished, there is nothing more to give,” Katse told The Midweek Sun this week.
He said that Tlokweng received a huge response in September to December 2015 when they called for applications. At the time, they received more than 33 000 applications.
“In the past, we had no waiting lists, what we did was call people when we had land to give but government decided that we have a waiting list and that is how we opened for applications in 2015, it was the first time we did that,” Katse explained.
He said it is the 2015 applications that have been giving many Batswana sleepless nights, wondering when they would be allocated land. On social media, questions are always asked about the 2015 applications.
Many were also requested to apply through the post office to avoid overcrowding Tlokweng land board offices and most post offices had heaps of applications piling at their offices daily.
Applicants are now impatiently waiting for a response from Tlokweng Landboard, always asking if their applications were received and have requested that Tlokweng Land board publicise the waiting list.
Tlokweng Land board has promised that once it is done cleaning the list, they will do so but as of now, they have halted allocation of plots due to unavailability of land.
Katse said chances are high that between now and next year March, no person would have gotten a new plot in Tlokweng.
“We are trying to find land to give people in Sefoke ward situated behind Oasis Motel and if successful, we will only get 1 600 plots there. Then what will be left will be to look within the village to spot empty spaces which can be used,” he said.
Katse said even if they get the 1 600 plots, it is only a small fraction considering the over 57 000 in the waiting list.
He explained that when the time comes to allocate the little land available, they will be using the 60:40 rule where 60 percent of the plots will be reserved strictly for Batlokwa and only 40 percent given to any other Motswana.
“It is tough, we really advise them to look for land elsewhere and not waste many years waiting for land that might not come. We are cleaning the list but the numbers are still high to guarantee everybody on the waiting list a plot,” Katse said.