Councillors Petition Tlokweng Development Plan Approval
The South East District Council has adopted a motion calling for the Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services to consider the overdue approval of the revised Tlokweng Development Plan 2001-2025.
When debating on Friday, Lenganeng ward councillor, Collen Mochotlhi said of the revised plan as submitted by the council: “We were informed to change some things in the plan, which we did. Rather the ministry keeps on calling us to amend small things and now time is no longer with us. We had hoped that by now the plan would have be approved by the minister. This plan will facilitate the availability of plots for Batswana. Residential plots are no longer being allocated in Tlokweng because the Tlokweng
Land Board is waiting for the revised development plan. This activity for the revised development plan took long since 2016 till today, therefore Batlokwa are now angry with us because they need plots.”
Mochotlhi said it was time the Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services speeded up the process of approving the Tlokweng revised development plan so that it helps to facilitate economic development as there is land reserved for commercial activities in the district.
He said some activities are continuing in the lands without council consent and that alone compromises planning of the revised Tlokweng Development Plan.
“Some people are sending applications directly to the minister for change of land use. It must be noted that this has its own implications. Even some ploughing lands that the Land Board wants to negotiate with Batlokwa will be difficult to acquire because some people are now developing those fields,” he said.
Khayakholo ward councillor, Seilatsatsi Kgokong said some of those fields along the road are supposed to be industrial hubs if only the plots were approved. “Some people have started to develop those areas, which are going to be expensive for the government to buy because the plan took longer than we had expected. Gape seemo se, se tloga se dira gore go nne le bomaipaya fela,” she said. Some of the motions that were adopted are the ones calling for the District Health Team to consider providing a mobile clinic service to Metlhabeng in Tlokweng; for the Ministry of Health and Wellness to consider upgrading Mafitlhakgosi Clinic and to increase the nursing staff.