Land due diligence: title, zoning and serviced stands

Land in Botswana sits under one of three tenures: state land, tribal land, and freehold. Tribal land is administered by the Land Board for that area, and state land is allocated by government in a limited number of urban centres, including Gaborone, Francistown, Lobatse, Selebi-Phikwe, Jwaneng, Ghanzi and Kasane.

Tribal and state land generally cannot be sold to non-citizens; freehold land — a small share of land nationally — is the tenure that can generally change hands regardless of citizenship. Confirm which tenure a specific stand falls under before treating an advertised price or availability as final.

Allocations and transfers on tribal land go through the relevant Land Board. Look for evidence of a valid certificate of rights or a Land Board-approved transfer, rather than relying on an informal assurance from the seller that "it's fine."

Confirm the plot has been surveyed, that the beacons on the ground match the diagram or plan you've been shown, and that you understand any access routes, servitudes or encroachments before committing.

Check whether the stand already has power, water and road access connected — often described as "serviced" — or whether you would need to fund those connections yourself. This materially changes the real cost of a plot advertised as land-only.