11 Mar 2013

The self-help construction of a kgotla shelter, refuse cage and water borne toilet by Goo-Ruele Village Development Committee (VDC) has impressed government and put on the spotlight, the late Bathoen II's shrewd and visionary leadership.

Officially opening the three projects in Kanye on Sunday Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said the projects were a testimony of what public-private partnerships could achieve.

She said the kgotla shelter would strengthen the consultative process and provide a forum that Batswana inherited from their forefathers, where every member of the community was free to air their views regardless of gender, age and ethnicity.

Ms Tshireletso said tribal administration played a pivotal role in the achievement of the national Vision 2016 pillar of an open, democratic and accountable nation by providing kgotla system of governance.

She noted that Goo-Ruele VDC used P23 000 to carry out the three projects and sought assistance with regards to roofing of the shelter from the Ipelegeng programme where they got P40 000.

And she urged VDCs to use the ipelegeng programme to do meaningful projects that would benefit the nation rather than directing the money towards bush clearing and litter picking only.

She also advised VDCs to consult members of their communities regularly in order to make sure that the projects they undertook reflected their aspirations.

Ms Tshireletso, however, decried that the spirit of self-reliance was slowly dying among Batswana but warned that government could not afford to do everything for the nation, adding that Boo-Ruele were lucky to have an active VDC.

The event also glorified the late Kgosi Bathoen II, affectionately known as Rakgosi for his visionary leadership.

According to oral history shared by Kgosi Goboletswe Ketsitlile, Rakgosi had embarked on a trip to the past day Rhodesia, November 1959, with a view to benchmark on the functions of VDCs, with more emphasis on ways in which they could generate self-sustaining income to undertake village development projects without depending on government to foot the bills.

Hence Kgosi Ketsitlile described the projects as the fruits of Kgosi Bathoen’s labour and vision.

He commended Boo-Ruele, the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) Member of Parliament, Mr Abram Kesupile and councillor Mr Charles Enosa for ensuring that the projects became a success. ENDS