Keorapetse wants P1.4bn Tati land deal probed
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday February 13, 2024 06:00
He made this call when responding Finance Minister, Peggy Serame's Budget Speech, insisting that the details of professional valuations should be presented to Parliament. "The land was granted as a concession by King Lobengula to Sir John Swinburne’s London & Limpopo Mining Company in 1870. This was after the Europeans 'discovered' gold in the Tati River in 1864. In 1880 the concession was bought by Tati Concessions (formerly known as Northern Light Company) which was owned by a syndicate that included Daniel Francis after whom Francistown is named. 1893: Tati Land was detached from Matebeleland and placed under the jurisdiction of the British Resident Director of Bechuanaland.
In 1911 the land was annexed to Bechuanaland via the Tati Concessions Land Act. In 1954 Tati Company was bought by the Glazer family," Keorapetse noted, explaining the historical context and detailing the complex history of land ownership and transactions leading up to the recent deal.
He added that in 1969, the Botswana government struck a deal with Tati Company, where the company generously contributed 500 square miles of rural land, spanning 14,000 hectares in Francistown. "In 1972, the government acquired 22 square miles of undeveloped land in the Francistown municipal areas. However, the mineral rights remained with the company, which is probably why people refer to it as a 'sweetheart deal'. Since then, the government has been purchasing portions of the land, and this P1.4 billion deal secures the last portion of 45,000 hectares, valuing the land at P31,000 per hectare," he explained. Keorapetse found it intriguing that between 2006 and 2008, reports indicate that the Ministry of Lands bought 19 freehold farms (20,000 hectares), mainly from citizens who had acquired land from Tati. In this transaction, he noted that the government spent P23.7 million for 20,000 hectares, valuing the land at P1,200 per hectare. Keorapetse raised concerns about the apparent inconsistency in land values, especially when comparing the recent deal with previous transactions.
He highlighted a notable difference in values, questioning the justification for the significant increase. "Why the astonishing disparity in land values - even when accounting for land value appreciation over time?" Keorapetse questioned, suggesting the possibility of a disguised "looting scam" under the guise of repurchasing land. He called for transparency in the breakdown of the P2.64 billion allocated for the acquisition of Tati land, HB Antwerp stake, and CTL Amedica. Keorapetse sought clarification on how valuations were determined for these purchases. Regarding corruption, Keorapetse urged Serame to commit to a forensic investigation into the annual losses to corruption over the past 10 years, including a thorough audit of COVID-19 emergency expenditures. He called for support for the UDC Bill to enhance the independence of DCEC, securing the tenure of the Director General and insulating them from presidential whims. Additionally, Keorapetse emphasised the need for increased funding for the anti-corruption agency to train investigators and corruption prevention professionals.