Guns out for Kweneng Landboard
Kweneng Landboad is facing a fierce battle and resistance from residents and landholders within its jurisdiction as it embarks on a process to repossess land allocated to the public especially through the Mogoditshane Sub-Landboard.
The landboard led by Chairman Kgang Kgang has been addressing Kgotla meetings to highlight the lapses that occurred when some members of the public were allocated land through compensation after the Mogoditshane Sub Landboard had repossessed their ploughing fields.
Mogoditshane Sub Landboard had asked individuals to hand back their ploughing fields in exchange for a compensation of six plots to one hectare. The main landboard is now reversing everything and giving people back their landboard certificates.
After the conclusion of the tour by the landboard to consult on the matter, residents of Gabane-Mankgodi are this week expected to hand over a petition to the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs kefentse Mzwinila.
Gabane and Mankgodi villages are the most affected by this exercise. Residents argue that they cannot return the certificates issued by the sub landboard as most of them have already developed their plots, while others have sold to third parties.
They demand that Kweneng landboard should reinstate all unlawful cancelation of title with all promise in compensation in land. The landboard is demanded to immediately render or process all applications that have been submitted and unlawfully deferred by the Kweneng Landboard.
That the Deeds Registry office immediately without delay process all submissions made to them for registration or title of mixed or general plans or survey diagrams on what fields to be made.
That the Surveys and Mapping office immediately process all submissions in their possession. That the landboard immediately release the overdue responses for change of land use application made to the landboard.
In another twist, Mogodtshane-Thamaga District Councillors have demanded a meeting with the landboard leadership. They instructed the council chairman Dux Mafoko last week during a full council meeting to fix a meeting with the landboard to come and explain its decision.
This comes after Councillor for Gabane North East Ofentse Mareme deferred a motion he had noticed calling for the removal of Kgang as Kweneng Landboard chairperson. According to Mareme, he deferred the motion on grounds that there is a petition prepared to be handed to the minister.
Kgang has revealed that the decision for people to avail a hectare in exchange for six plots is problematic. He stated that the Mogoditshane Sub Landboard had no powers or authority to have taken such a decision.
He revealed that there has been collusion between some officials and land owners in dealing with land allocation and issuance of certificates.
Kgang has argued that all the decision being made are not his but that of the landboard.
“I am just the face of the landboard. The sub-landboard has no authority to have taken such a decision. Even when you sue you don’t sue the sub landboard, you sue the main landboard. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse and what we are doing is in accordance with the law”, Kgang said.
He explained that they will be preparing a report that will be presented to the minister. He said the minister is empowered by the law to give direction on what action should be taken.
According to Kgang, all they want as the leadership is for equitable distribution of land to all Batswana.