29 Nov 2016

Tonota South MP, Mr Thapelo Olopeng has implored  his constituents to take advantage of the existing opportunities in their constituency and help develop it.

Addressing constituents who are locals and those who reside outside the constituency on Saturday, Mr Olopeng said they should not wait for the government to create jobs for them but should rather take advantage of the existing natural resources and create jobs for others and at the same time develop their area.He noted that the residents should take advantage of their constituency’s proximity to Francistown and the new dual carriageway to set up malls and other industries.

The MP, who is also the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development said Francistown is likely to expand into his constituency and residents should view this as an opportunity for growth.

He however said while Tonota has opportunities there are some challenges that hampers developments.

Mr Olopeng cited that Tonota has been zoned as a horticultural area through the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) but illegal sand mining has affected the flow of water in the river which has   negatively affected the farms.

He further said some roads in the constituency are problematic. The MP said he has identified some key areas that should be treated as priorities in order to help them develop the constituency.

He said at his top of priority list is the primary hospital, which he said has been planned for in the National Development Plan (NDP) 11. Second on his list, he said is the village street lighting and tarring of internal roads as he believes that the two can help up the value of property in Tonota.

The MP said he is hopeful that by March next year 20 streetlights will be installed in Tonota. For his part the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, who is also from Tonota, Mr Kenneth Matambo  said    government continues to priorities and four of its priority areas are water, electricity, health and education. The Minister also briefed the residents about the recent provisional liquidation of BCL mine.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Kgosi Pogiso Sekoko thanked the MP for the new kgotla shelter and he appealed to the residents to assist in installing fans and paving the kgotla premises.

He further appealed to residents to pledge chairs. He pleaded for help in planning for  Kgosi Ramosinyi Radipitse’s retirement party. ENDS