Africa-Press – Botswana. Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development was not aware that some Boteti villagers travelled about 100km to Rakops to get a kgosi’s signature for land board documents, says the assistant minister, Ms Talita Monnakgotla.
Responding to a Ntlo ya Dikgosi question on Monday, Ms Monnakgotla said as far as she knew, dikgosi and police officers from the rank of sergeant and above were available in villages around Rakops.
“It is worth highlighting that procedurally, applicants are at liberty to approach any commissioner of oaths nearest to their locality to stamp land board documents,” she said.
She said land board documents that required endorsement only by a kgosi were supporting letters for old allocations made by tribal administration as well as transfer of inheritance.
Ms Monnakgotla was responding to Kgosi Godfrey Serapo of Boteti region’s question on whether she was aware that villagers commuted long distances just for a kgosi’s signature required for filling tribal land application forms.
Still at Ntlo ya Dikgosi Ms Monnakgotla said Nokaneng Police Post was planned to have only three police officers and not six.
“We will however, consider complementing the number of officers at the said post if resources permit, and at the moment the challenge we face is that of shortage of officers all over the country, especially as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
Ms Monnakgotla said because of the pandemic, there was no police officers intake for the past two years, which exacerbated the shortage of officers countrywide.
“In the meantime, Nokaneng Police Post will continue to be assisted by the Gumare Police Station,” said the assistant minister.
She said the fact that all officers stationed there were all female could not be considered an anomaly as they were just as capable as their male colleagues.
Ms Monnakgotla revealed that the ministry planned to undertake a tour of some police stations beginning April to check on status and act on necessary shortages.
Kgosi Kebonyetsala Fish of Nokaneng had wanted to know why the local police post was operating with only half of the set staff complement.
A total of 86 questions and 11 motions have been tabled before the current 12th meeting of the fourth sitting of Ntle ya Dikgosi which will run until Friday.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
