Why did the Land Board invite people to apply for plots when there were either no surveyed plots available or only a relatively small number? How did it happen that people in Maun and Francistown were informed about the invitation whereas a number of Odi residents, perhaps all, were left in total ignorance? After similar scenes in Tlokweng and Ramotswa it is hard to believe that the Land Board people could have been unaware of the sort of response that they would get to their initiative.
But when they did begin to become aware they must have realised that they were potentially in some danger. In such situations, people get angry and anger can turn quickly to violence. Fortunately the police were on hand and, as I gathered, moved in quickly to avert that possibility. But if they did their best to control the situation, the police must now be conducting their own enquiry especially if no attempt had been made to warn them of what was about to happen, and to request their involvement and support. The point has been made again and again by many people that unless some significant changes are made, the land issue, will one day, explode. No significant changes have been made and Oodi last week provided yet another warning of the danger of doing nothing.
