Lobatse churches demand places of worship
Tumelo Mouwane | Thursday August 3, 2017 12:37
In an interview yesterday, following an event organised for pastors to air their concerns and suggest recommendations for the development of the town, LMF executive member and former chairperson, Lentswe Kerekang said some churches have been waiting for plots for the past 15 years. Kerekang said churches are also sidelined in terms of holding their events within the town since permission is required, which other entertainment events don’t seek to hold their events.
“We are very worried about the time the council takes to allocate churches plots within the town. Some churches have been waiting for plot allocations for 15 years and we are really concerned. Our own church has been waiting for the plot since 1993. When we try to organise events within the town, we have to seek permissions whereas those in the entertainment industry do not have to seek permission to hold events,” Kerekang said.
The pastor further said many churches have been crowded in one isolated place something that he condoned on basis that churches have to be within the town in order to spread the word to the community efficiently.
“Churches have been crowded in an isolated place where it’s not even safe for our property. We are crowded in one place as if we are firms. The plots have not been allocated on permanent basis. We can’t build permanent structures because the plots have not been registered in our churches names.
“The government uses church halls for free without taking into consideration the cost for utilities, but on the other hand when churches use government halls, we have to pay heavy charges and that really concerns us because we have to endure government costs,” he said.
LTC publicity officer, Segametsi Kebonang said the council is fully aware of the issue of delay of allocation of plots but ‘hope is not lost’. She said plot allocation for churches is processed at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Sanitation, which is headquartered in Gaborone hence the delay. “We are fully aware of the issue of delay of allocation of plots for churches, but hope is not lost.
Our Lands and Housing department in the council processes such requests and sends them for approval at the head ministry in Gaborone, and sometimes it takes time. At another event held recently, the town mayor informed pastors that churches should not lose hope as the council is doing its best to see to it that plots are allocated even though sometimes it takes time,’’ she said.