Mzwinila to take legal advice on Mogo land issues

• Wants task force to report to him on 25 February
• Says he personally sees no problem in exposing corrupt land officers

IMI MOKGETHI

The Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Kefentse Mzwinila, is seeking legal advice about publicising a report on an investigation into corruption in land allocations at Mogoditshane Sub-Land Board, the people of Ledumadumane have heard.

Minister Mzwinila said this in response to an appeal by the Councillor for Ledumadumane, Kemiso Tom, at a Kgotla meeting called to discuss land issues there and in Mogoditshane last Friday.

The councillor had asked the minister to release the report to the public and expose officers whose corruption is causing untold delays in land allocations and leading to squatting.

“We have heard allegations that some politicians are involved in the corrupt practices,” said Councillor Tom. “We want the report to be released as soon as possible so that they may be exposed and be held accountable for their actions.”

In his response, Mzwinila said he did not have a problem with sharing the report publicly but would have to consult legal advisors first. “I can confirm that the report is there and we know those who are involved,” he added. “Some of them have already faced the wrath of law. We are going to expose all of them until there is no more corruption.”

The minister said he would despatch another team of investigators to the sub-land board this week to establish why certain recent applications for plots in the area have been allocated while some applications that go as far back as 1993 have not been allocated and threatened to repossess corruptly allocated plots.

He instructed Mogoditshane Sub-Land Board to meet with a land task force established in the village to discuss solutions to all complaints raised and report to his office on 25 February.

The Chairperson of Mogoditshane Sub-Land Board, Neo Kesenogile, described land issues in her jurisdiction as a headache, saying they were ready to discuss the issues with the concerned parties privately. Even so, Kesenogile criticised some of the people in attendance for taking their concerns to the minister before first discussing them with the land board and accused some of them of not telling the truth in some of their complaints.
“Some of these issues are not supposed to be discussed in Kgotla meetings,” she said.

Those who are saying we are not willing to assist them are not telling the truth as my office is always open to anyone who may need help. Let’s tell the minister the truth.”