In November 2000 the Government issued a directive to demolish houses in Mogoditshane and surrounding villages. This action incited the Botswana Council of Non Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) and the Botswana Christian Council (BCC) to commission a study1, to look into the nature of the evictions from the psychological - social implication as well as a legal point of view.
BOCONGO and BCC contracted Ms Prisca Mohlahlane, to conduct a study to get a clear understanding of the events that led up to the evictions. The research was carried out in the areas of Mogoditshane and surrounding villages of Nkoyaphiri, Tsolamosese, Khudiring, Morope and Mmopane.
The study looked at the social and economic implications of the demolitions (i.e. poverty, overcrowding, health hazard, street children, etc), The findings of the study pointed to the fact that all the people affected were living in poverty, there are definite problems within the land administration i.e. the Land Board (as also indicated in previous studies e.g. the Kgabo Commission) and the misunderstandings and perceptions of guidelines and rights of land ownership the Land Board officials as well as by ordinary Batswana who seem to form majority of people affected by the evictions.
The study concluded that there was considerable misunderstanding and inconsistency of what criteria was used to evict and demolish.
To exacerbate the problem ‘Land Boards do not have easily accessible information showing what piece of land has been allocated to whom and for what purpose. They do not know how much of their land has been allocated and how much is still available for allocation. Of the allocated land, they do not know how much of their land is being utilized and how much is idling. As a result of all this, both the custodian of land and government cannot get an overview of the land situation for planning purposes’.
The study outlined the emotional and sociological impact of the demolitions. However, good quality primary data was needed as a tool for effective advocacy and lobbying and targeted intervention. Primary data was needed on concrete statistics; how many single headed households and how many elderly people were affected, has there been an increase in problems such as homelessness, school dropouts, orphans street children and terminally ill patients suffering a breakdown in their care This will assist in future projects targeting the urban poor and homeless.
The symposium was made possible through the financial assistance of the Intergraded Development Group of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), FONSAG through the auspices of BOCONGO coordinated a Symposium to bring together the stakeholders to analyse and prepare a strategic action plan of the existing problem and to try to prevent future misunderstandings of the law by the enforcers as well as the people affected.
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