FCC, churches at loggerheads over squatting

Pini Bothoko | Tuesday March 18, 2014 12:20

 

The scarcity of land to be allocated also affects churches who raised the concern during a recent meeting with the Francistown City Council (FCC).

The churches said that they have long applied for plots since 1980 and are still on the waiting list.

Since the beginning of the year FCC has been raiding street vendors and hawkers around the city for operating without licences.

City clerk Leboile Israel declared then that they would soon be focusing their attention on squatting churches.

Last week churches, apparently under intense pressure, asked for a meeting with FCC at Chedu Choga Hall where they begged to be allowed to continue squatting.  

They disclosed that the waiting period forced them to use any space around for worship as they have already applied for land allocation.  They said that they could not stop worshipping on the account that FCC is failing to give them plots.

The Mayor, James Kgalajwe, who was with Israel conceded that since 1980 there has been no allocation of church plots around the city.

“Yes I agree with you when you say that you have applied for a church plot and up to today you have not received any response.

“We have been having a problem with scarcity of land in the city, but we have purchased a 8,000 hectare farm at Gerald Estate,” he said.

Kgalajwe said that there is no way they can allocate the said land because it is not serviced but at the same time they were alarmed and worried at the mushrooming of squatting churches around the city.

He said that there were over 300 squatting churches whose unkempt appearance made the city unattractive.

Archbishop Brown Khupe, founder of The Jerusalem Bethesda Church of Christ in Zion requested FCC to leave them to worship where they already are until they are in the position to give them plots. Khupe said that the rising number of squatting churches around the city was due to the fact that there has not been allocation of plots for over 30 years.

“We do not have anywhere to go now. We have been worshipping there for over 50 years and have not committed anything illegal,” he said.

He said that they understand that they should be given plots for churches, but they have been on the waiting list for a long period of time forcing them to opt to squat.

“Since 1980 we have been hoping to be allocated a plot for our church but we are losing hope.

“We are worshippers and cannot afford to close our churches because you are failing to give us land,” he said. Khupe said that they have made a huge impact amongst people’s lives through preaching the word of God.

Meanwhile, Israel expressed concern over squatting churches saying they cannot justify the safety of people whilst worshipping inside illegal structures.

“We have been receiving reports and complaints from other members of the community about squatting churches.

“They are concerned about things that occur there. We have to consider people’s health,” said Israel. He said council was working hard to give the city a facelift but squatting churches mar its appearance.