Tlokweng land war

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Saturday May 25, 2013 00:00

 

On Wednesday, February 27, the land board in Tlokweng will finally distribute 285 plots controversially won in a raffle last June.The distribution of the plots to their intended recipients have not gone ahead despite then permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands  and Housing, Tsaone Thebe, okaying the move.The tribal leadership in Tlokweng, which also sits in the land board, confirmed to The Monitor on Friday that they have received correspondence from the Tlokweng Land Board informing them that they will be disposing of the 285 plots this Wednesday.

Batlokwa deputy Paramount Chief Michael Gaborone says the announcement has greatly disturbed them, adding that Tlokweng residents do not agree with the notion of putting up tribal land to a lottery. 'We are going to fight it (the land allocation). It is a cruel exercise to Batlokwa. Our position is that we no longer have land to give to other tribes, after giving away over 85 percent of our land for Gaborone city. We will fight to the bitter end for our tribal rights,' he vowed.Gaborone also said they might call an urgent Kgotla meeting ahead of the planned land allocation by the land board between now and tomorrow.  He said he is shocked that the land board has decided to press ahead with the land allocation.

'We informed them (the land board) of the youth appeal at the Land Tribunal, and further informed them that should the Land Tribunal case fail, we shall again, appeal the matter at the Court of Appeal,' he said.It emerged on Friday that a group of Batlokwa youth have filed a court case at the Land Tribunal, challenging the awarding of the 285 plots through a lottery to non-Batlokwa.Another Batlokwa chief Rammonye Matlapeng told The Monitor that they are exploring the possibility of filing an urgent court application to halt the  allocation of the plots.An official of the Batlokwa youth committee, Thatayaone Matlapeng on Friday said they have received an acknowledgement letter from the Land Tribunal and communication to the effect that they file additional papers.Tlokweng Land Board spokesman Agustine Sepoe on Sunday confirmed receipt of notice to take the matter to the Land Tribunal court but said the court itself has not communicated with them.  He also confirmed that they are pressing ahead with the land allocation starting from Tuesday  to Wednesday this week.