Nuances Of Compulsory Land Acquisition And Compensation In Botswana: The Case Of The Pitsane-Tlhareseleele Road Project

Purpose: There is a general consensus, within previous researches, that internationally, major challenges caused by compulsory acquisition include lack of compensation or inadequate or delayed compensation, where it is offered. The purpose of this study is therefore to contribute to the existing academic debate on issues related to land acquisition and compensation by establishing if there is consistency in compulsory acquisition and expropriation policy and practice in Botswana. Approach/Design: A case study approach was adopted based on the Pitsane-Tlhareseleele road project. A total of twenty-two (22) displaced people and eight (8) Planning Officers, four (4) from Rolong Land Board and four (4) from Good Hope Council were interviewed. The coding of interview results was done manually. The interpretation, analysis and presentation of data were facilitated by the use of SPSS. Results/Findings: The results of this study revealed policy-practice gaps in the calculation of compensation in Botswana. The statutory and policy frameworks provide for a consensus-based compensation approach but the displaced people lamented that the valuation method which was used by compensation authority was not transparent. Practical Limitation: The major limitation of this study is that it was based on a single case study with a limited number of affected people. Practical Implication: The results of this study could inform policy and practice on compulsory land acquisition in Botswana. Originality/Value of Work: This study is one of the few works relating to the existing debate on compulsory land acquisition in Botswana.