09 Mar 2025

Around 2023, Tati Company (Ltd) together with its subsidiary Sam Estate Land Company (PTY) Ltd, informed government of their intention to sell the remainder of the land they owned in the North East, Assistant Minister of lands and Agriculture Dr Edwin Dikoloti says.

Responding to a question in Parliament, he said government then decided to buy the land, and several consultative meetings were held between government and the company.

“The consultations resulted in the sale agreement signed in October 2023 on the basis of willing seller willing buyer,” he said, adding that the final agreed price for 45 000 hectares of land was over P1.4billion.

He said Tati Company Limited was paid the whole agreed price of sale of land as at the time of handover of the land titles in December 2024. Dr Dikoloti said the transfer of ownership to government was not complete, but on going following the surrender of original land titles to the government on December 2, 2024 in Francistown.

He however said conveying exercise would conclude within the first quarter of the next financial year. On the other hand, he said plans for the use of land were in the offing and as part of the participatory planning approach, the ministry started consultations on the use of the land.

The North East District Council and Tati Land Board, he said were consulted on December 18, 2024 and ideas on the use of the land included village expansions, communal grazing and other arable farming.

“As a progressive posture, North East District Council resolved to form a task team to further consult and guide on the possible use of land and this will be extended to other stakeholders,” he said.

He said the ministry was aware that some community members started grazing their animals in the acquired area. Dr Dikoloti noted that at present, nobody had exclusive rights over the use of the land except for mining operations, allowed to continue under the licenses issued by government.

Tati East Legislator Mr Tlhabologo Furniture had asked the minister to update Parliament on the purchase of land in the North East District and to state how much had been paid to date and whether a transfer of ownership to Botswana had been done. He also asked the minister to state land use plans in place or and whether he was aware that some people had already occupied part of the land by setting up cattle posts. ENDS