Tribunal wants the dragging Tlokweng land dispute resolved

Mpho Mokwape | Monday June 23, 2014 11:13

 

The 24-year-old dispute is around the correct extent and acquisition of the late Pilanyane Matlapeng’s field situated at the Metlhabeng ward in Tlokweng.

Lecoge expressed worry that the matter was taking long to be resolved as there was endless litigation on the side issues adding that it is high time the parties focus on the real dispute.

 “Even though we acknowledge that the parties have the right to freely litigate, the Tribunal believes it is high time the parties focus on the real dispute and resolve it,” he said, adding that the proposed set up will serve everyone better and would save costs and time.

He said the conclusion of the main case would mean that the family would be able to enjoy whatever rights they would be entitled to and also mean that the land board would be able to focus on the core function of managing and allocating land for the benefit and advantage of the citizens to promote their social and economic development.

Central to the more than two decades old dispute is the family’s claim of ownership to a large portion of land in the contended area as a farming field belonging to them. According to court documents, the land board tried resolving the matter on November 8,1990 but their decision was not accepted by the Matlapeng family who appealed to the Minister of Lands and Housing in September 1991. The appeal was later transferred to the Land Tribunal, which led to the 2010 court order of halting any developments on the disputed area except by the government. The main case on the determination of ownership to the disputed area is still pending.

The contempt of court proceedings brought recently before court by the land board followed the family’s decision to fence off the disputed area.