2012 BOCCIM National Conference Tsaone Thebe Permanent Secretary Ministry of Lands and Housing

Outline Background on land admin & management issues. Challenges in management of land. Interventions in dealing with these challenges. Conclusion

Background Some principles of good land management. Knowing who owns what and where Landuse Planning. Surveying of the land Use of appropriate technology to improve the above

Background(cont) Government Policies and Priorities Food security : efficiency in land utilisation Provision of shelter Promoting sustainable use of environment and wildlife resources Economic growth and diversification Social Consideration ; social justice, protection of the marginalised. Current demand vis-vis future demands

Landuse Map

Summary of tenures Tribal landFreeholdState land Ownership perpetual Defined lease period Transferable (developments) Transferabletransferable (remainder of lease,developments) inheritableInheritableinherit* can hypothecate (if common law*) Can hypothecate No survey prior before disposal * Survey before disposal No planning prior to disposal * Planning prior to disposal Free grantMarket priceCost recovery – Res Market – Business Compensation based on improvements introduced Compensation based on market

Issues of tenure Landlessness avoided Equity in land distribution Availability of land for investment Speculation and Land Hoarding

Challenges High demand for land? – mismatch between demand and supply. Land is in abundance and available Land ownership as a prerequisite for investment Landownership as a right. Batswana settlement pattern These results in the manner in which land is utilised or not utilised.

Challenges ( cont) Slow development of land Lack of development by those who have been allocated land. Inefficient Utilisation of land Low storey developments Horizontal expansions – settlement sprawl

Challenges(cont) Allocation of land: – 414 ha allocated in Gaborone – Innovation & Diamond Hub – Undeveloped plots Francistown – 44 Plots Phase 2 CBD – 46 plots Lobatse & 112 plots Selebi Phikwe – 61 plots allocated in Serowe 1991, 24 undeveloped – Industrial Plots in Mogoditshane – Palapye, Bobonong etc

Challenges(Cont) Structural and Legislative Issues The need to review some of our administrative structures, laws and policies Inflexible? 176/250 changes of landuse approved in 2011 Compatibility of land uses Health and Safety considerations Balancing competing needs

Challenges (cont) Cost of land servicing Limited budget to undertake servicing, pace of infrastructure development lags behind demand. High cost of servicing, 9800 plots cost almost about P Land Information management Land allocated without prior planning and surveying, registration for title. No comprehensive information on land

Interventions Spatial Planning e.g.Gaborone City Development Plan Rezoning of land Mixed landuse development Intensification of land. Review of Legislation Development Control Code Town and Country Planning Act

Intervention(cont) Draft Land Policy Ensuring transparancy and development of land as well as to facilitate achievement of economic diversification and industrial development policy; Allocation based on investors’ financial and management capability Leasing and selling commercial and industrial land at market prices through tender. Availing of unserviced blocks of land through tender

Interventions(cont) Draft Land Policy Ensuring that direct investment opportunities are created by making land readily available for investors and making the country attractive to investors. Identifying and reserving industrial and commercial land.

Intervention(cont) Draft Land Policy Ensuring orderly, efficient, cost effective and sustainable land development Reviewing plot sizes and developments to curb urban sprawl Encourage intensification Provide flexibility to encourage and accommodate innovations Encourage intergrated farming Protect fertile land for agriculture

Intervention(cont) Land Administration, Procedures, Capacity Administration and Systems (LAPCAS) Its about successful social and economic development of Botswana based on efficient, effective and transparent land administration. Identifying opportunities for excellence in land administration Facilitation of the economy

Intervention (LAPCAS Proposal) Revision of legislation Disparities between tenures Use of certificate of customary grant as collateral Improvement and standardisation of land administration processes. Restructuring of land admin structures Deeds Register Computerisation. Registration of rights in tribal land. Location addresses to facilitate economy

Conclusion What do you as our customers want? How can you partner with govt to avail land? Land tenure issues Zoning considerations – how flexible should our planning be( aesthetics, compatibility, health, etc) What legislative interventions do you have in mind? What land admin structures do you propose.