URP 110-LECTURE 8

INSTITUTIONAL & LEGISLATIVE

FRAMEWORK IN URBAN AND REGIONAL
PLANNING-1
PLANNING IN TRANSITION
Traditional
Land use
• The traditional approach to town and country planning often Planning
comprised a planning system that was intended to facilitate
development, regulate land-use, and distinguish between urban and
rural dimensions.
• The main characteristic of spatial planning is that the activity of land-
use/physical planning is closely linked to economic, social and
environmental development policies.
• Spatial planning is concerned with “coordination or integration of
the spatial dimension of sectoral policies through a territorially- Land
based strategy” Use/Physical
Planning
• It addresses the tensions among sectoral policies, for example for
conflicts between economic development, environmental and social
cohesion policies. Social Economic
Spatial
Development Development
• Spatial planning is largely a public sector function to influence the Policies Planning Policies

future spatial distribution of activities.

• Spatial planning is therefore an important lever for promoting
Environmental
sustainable development and improving the quality of life. Development
Policies

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MINISTRY OF LANDS AND WATER AFFAIRS

The Ministry is responsible for the management of land and water resources in Botswana. The mandate of the
Ministry is to ensure proper land administration and management to facilitate socio-economic development through
land servicing. Furthermore, it ensures delivery of water and re-use of grey water for both domestic and agricultural
development.
Departments/Sections of the Ministry
• The Ministry consists of 12 Land Boards, 41 Sub Land Boards, 8 Departments and 2 Parastatals being Water Utilities Corporation and
Real Estate Advisory Council.

• Department of Lands.
• Department of Town & Country Planning.
• Department of Surveys & Mapping.
• Department of Water and Sanitation.
• Project Management Office.
• Land Tribunal.
• Deeds Registry.
• Department of Corporate Services.

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DEPARTMENT OF SURVEY AND MAPPING
1. National surveying and mapping organization
2. Provide basic geospatial information and services for socio-economic development.
3. The collection, management and disseminate geospatial information using surveying and mapping technologies
such as Remote Sensing, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Geospatial Information Systems (GIS),
aerial photography and satellite imagery.
4. Provides professional services and advice on all matters related to the above technologies and efficient use of
geospatial data.
5. National Mapping Programme to facilitate mapping at various scales across the country such as village mapping,
delineation of electoral boundaries, Tourism, Facilities Mapping (Schools, health, Wildlife Management Areas,)
etc.
6. Delimitation, demarcation and surveying of national and international boundaries.
7. Regulates Cadastral surveying, topographic surveying and mapping in Botswana through statutory examination
and approval of cadastral surveys to facilitate registration of title as per the Land Survey Act and Regulations
(CAP. 33:01)

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 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS

• Focal point for Land Governance, Government Immovable Asset / Estate Management
and Conveyancing matters.
• Planning, Acquisition, Operation & Maintenance, and Disposal of government immovable
property, including land.
• Initiation, Development and Monitoring of implementation of land-related policy and
legislation;
• Facilitation and coordination of land-related and property development programmes and
projects;
• Overseeing the administration of state land and tribal land;
• Management of government estate / immovable assets, including state land;
• Advising government in land dispute resolution and general land management and
administration.

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 DEPARTMENT OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
PLANNING
(TCPA Part II(4))
1) There shall be a Director of Town and Country Planning for Botswana.
2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Director shall—
(a) supervise and control the planning of land in planning areas;
(b) take charge of and preserve all records which were prior to the commencement of this Act, or may
become after such date, records of the Department of Town and Country Planning;
(c) cause to be kept a register of persons registered to practice as physical planners in Botswana;
(d) when required to do so under this Act or in pursuance of an order of a court —
(i) register a physical planner or suspend, from practice, a physical planner, and
(ii) remove, from the register, the name of a physical planner;
(e) cause to be published by notice in the Gazette, at the beginning of each year in January, a list
containing the names, addresses and qualifications of all registered physical planners remaining on the
register at the close of the previous year; and
(f) carry out any other duties assigned to him or her by the Minister
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 DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS
• The Department is responsible for Water resource management and planning.
• The mandate of the department seeks to ensure that the limited water resources are protected,
managed conserved and used sustainability for the benefit of all life forms and the economy, in an
integrated manner.
• The main functions of the Department are;
• Water resource management
• Water resource planning
• Water resource protection and monitoring

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 DISTRICT COUNCILS

Local authorities are mandated to: maintain law, order and good
governance; promote the economic and social welfare of the people in their
jurisdiction; and ensure effective and equitable delivery of quality services
to the people:
• Political leadership at district level
• Decision making body
• Provision of primary education infrastructure
• Public health and sanitation,
• Waste management,
• Internal infrustructure
• Social welfare and community development,
• Remote area development and maintenance of public facilities
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 DISTRICT COUNCILS
Physical Planning Authorities TCPA Part II(5)
A planning authority shall appoint a Physical Planning Committee to deal with such matters as the planning authority
may, in writing, delegate to it.
The Physical Planning Committees shall consist of not less than eight members appointed by the planning authority,
of which —

1. Two shall be councillors of the planning authority; and

2. The rest shall be drawn from areas representing different planning, development or environmental interests as
the authority may determine.

The functions of a planning authority (through PPC) are —

1. To determine applications for permission to develop land in terms of section 21;

2. To advise the Minister on any matter within its knowledge or on which the Minister may seek its advice and, in
particular, on the preparation or revision of development plans under Part IV; and
3. To carry out any other duties as may be required in furtherance of the objectives of this Act.

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 DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

• Administration wing of central government at district level

• District Commissioner- Each locality has a district commissioner (DC), who is the senior
representative of national government in that district.
• The district commissioner coordinates development at district level and is the
chairperson of the district/ urban development committee, which is a planning body.

• Officers operating at this level include District Officer Development (DoD)- t is the most
significant institution at the district level for coordination of development activities.

• Tribal Administration- Kgosi and Kgotla- Ntlo ya Dikgosi was established as an advisory
body to the National Assembly in matters of constitutional, customary, cultural and
land issues.
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 LAND BOARDS

• Land Boards derive their mandate from the Tribal Land Act and are
responsible for management of Tribal land.
• The Land Boards are comprised of
• Land Board Members who deal with land allocation/management matters and
• Public employees who manage administrative functions.
• Granting of rights to use land-allocation of land for residential,
commercial, agricultural, civic and community use;
• Cancellation of the grant of any right to use any land;
• Authorizing transfers of land rights;
• Hearing of appeals from any subordinate land authority; and
• Regulating the use of land
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NB: SPATIAL PLANNING IS BROAD AND THE ROLES

IDENTIFIED BY THESE SLIDES ARE NOT

EXHAUSTIVE. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS

LECTURE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO DELVE INTO HOW

OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR MINISTRIES

CONTRIBUTE TO URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING.

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