Land Board members not the best cut
Spira Tlhankane | Wednesday July 23, 2025 10:02
Responding to a question in Parliament this week, he acknowledged that the requirements for appointment to the Land Board are low.
In order to address the matter, the Minister stated that the professionalisation of the Land Boards is being considered.
“Additionally, statutory instruments were passed to allow the Minister to appoint not more than three out of eight members from outside the recommended list for the mainland Board and not more than two members out of six for the Sub-land boards,' said Dikoloti.
“The professionalisation of the Land Boards is being considered, which will require the revision of the instruments and improvement of the conditions of service to attract the relevant skills and expertise to the Land Boards,' he added.
Land Board members are appointed by the Minister of Lands and Agriculture through a process that includes advertisement, assessment, shortlisting and recommendation by a Ministerial Selection Committee.
The appointments are governed by the Tribal Land Act and its related regulations. Applicants generally need a minimum of a Junior Certificate, and must be between 26 and 70 years old, and meet residency and character requirements.
The acting minister was responding to a question from Kgatleng East legislator, Mabuse Pule, who had asked amongst other things, what safeguards are being introduced to ensure that Land Boards operate independently of political interference. The MP also wanted to know whether reforms will be made on the appointment or oversight mechanisms of Land Board members.
In response to the issue of political interference in Land Boards, Dikoloti disclosed that there are safeguards within the law as far as the operations of, and decisions of the Land Boards are concerned.
He also said to ensure strategic alignment of the decisions, the same Act has a proviso for the Minister responsible for Lands to give directions to the Lands Boards regarding the exercise of their powers and the performance of their functions-these directions must be consistent with the Act and obligations of the Land Boards.
“Land Boards are quasi-judicial bodies established under the Tribal Land Act, 2018. Section 3 (2) provides that ‘A land board shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal, capable of suing and being sued in its name and, subject to the provisions of this Act- performing such acts as bodies corporate, may by law, do or perform,’” he said.
Responding to other questions that Mabuse raised about land, Dikoloti revealed that the ministry has not commenced any exercise specifically to undertake a national or an area-specific audit of undeveloped or hoarded plots.
Mabuse had also asked whether the Ministry is undertaking a national audit of undeveloped or hoarded plots.
“The developments, covenants, and terms and conditions of allocation are explicit on the timeframe within which land must be developed.
“Land authorities are encouraged to enforce these covenants and also ensure that land is put to optimal use. To that, the level of utilisation will be a consideration in renewal of the leases going forward,” said Dikoloti.
Dikoloti explained that land hoarding occurs where entities apply for land and hold on to it without developing it with the intention to dispose of it later at a higher price.
To address this, he said the current policy is that an individual is eligible for allocation of one residential plot in both urban and tribal land. He pointed out that additional plots can be acquired through other legitimate means.
“Non residential plots are disposed of through a tendering system. The Government has no intention to recover any plots acquired through legitimate means unless the land is required for a public purpose.
“However, where illegal occupation is realised, appropriate actions such as evictions are undertaken,” he revealed.