Africa-Press – Botswana. Business plot owners in the Kgalagadi Tribal Area owe more than P24 million in outstanding lease rentals.
The revelation came during a breakfast meeting hosted by the Kgalagadi Land Board in Tsabong on Tuesday.
The meeting, which was attended by owners of business plots, was called to discuss the terms and conditions of their lease agreements and to highlight the serious consequences of non-compliance.
Kgalagadi Land Board chairperson, Ms Diana Basotli, emphasised the importance of the lease agreements as legally binding contracts.
She noted a rising trend of non-compliance among lessees, with many plots in the district not being developed or the lease rentals not being paid annually.
“Failure to pay the rentals affects how the board provides the services, quality and the timeliness of the services provided,” said Ms Basotli and explained that the fees were critical for the day-to-day operations of the land board and were used to provide services to the community.
The land board is urging all leaseholders with outstanding dues to regularise their accounts immediately, silence or inaction will no longer be tolerated, Ms Basotli stated.
The meeting also highlighted the economic potential of the region and government’s concern about high levels of unemployment, particularly among the youth.
Ms Basotli stressed that business plot holders were expected to use their land to diversify the economy and create jobs, noting, timely payment of the arrears would significantly boost the local economy.
According to Ms Basotli, the current arrears amount was P8 726 630, while the cumulative amount owed covered a total of approximately 68 farms for livestock and game and 134 small stock farms and numerous business plots.
While the land board’s intention is not to threaten legal action, it seeks to caution against breaches and to motivate plot owners to do the needful.
Ms Basotli suggested an open and constructive dialogue to find a mutually acceptable arrangement for the outstanding payments, urging attendees to be well informed and knowledgeable about their obligations.
The land board is also keen to get feedback from the plot owners on their satisfaction with the services provided, as part of their commitment to serving the community better.
For his part land board secretary, Mr Nicolas Motlogelwa urged plot owners to pay their lease rentals and to monitor the expiry dates of their leases.
He also encouraged them to set aside their differences regarding inheritance issues, settle conflicts, and make informed decisions about their plots.
Seek guidance and assistance from the land board, Mr Motlogelwa advised.
In a plea on behalf of her fellow business plot owners, Ms Bompoetse Nkane asked the board to consider reducing the outstanding amounts.
She said many plot owners were unemployed and lacked the financial resources to develop their plots.
Ms Nkane drew a parallel to the Water Utilities Corporation, which she said was allowing its customers to pay 50 per cent of their outstanding debts, suggesting a similar concession for the land board debtors.
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