20 Jun 2013

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama has appreciated some of the development projects undertaken at Malatswai.

Addressing a kgotla meeting at the Central District village today (June 20), President Khama said during his previous visit to the village, projects that included the tribal administration office and Kitsong Centre were not there.

He also noted that residents had been allocated a ranch through the RADP programme. And, he said residents would be assisted by the Ministry of Agriculture to drill a borehole to water their livestock.

During the visit, President Khama also donated blankets, jackets, footballs and 20 chairs to the kgotla to be used by the elderly. When giving welcome remarks, Kgosi Ketsieditswe Bosigo acknowledged the assistance that the community continued to receive from government under the poverty eradication programme.

Kgosi Bosigo said through the commitment of beneficiaries, government would succeed in its endeavour to reduce poverty, especially as there were notable signs that poverty could be eliminated.

He noted that the community had been finally allocated a ranch, which they requested a long time ago and they were waiting for it to be fenced. He appealed to government to assist the residents by drilling a borehole inside the ranch for watering livestock.

Kgosi Bosigo further stated that some residents had lost livestock due to road accidents, noting that the animals crossed the road in search of pasture for grazing. Farmers would now be able to take better care of their livestock if they were enclosed on the ranch.

On other development projects, Kgosi Bosigo noted that three residents had benefitted from the destitute housing programme. For his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Christiaan De Graaff said the community was allocated the ranch through the RADP programme and that its constitution had already been finalised as it would operate as a syndicate.

Mr De Graaff said he would liaise with his counterpart at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to find out how a borehole could be drilled at the ranch through the LIMID programme. He said the decision reached on the borehole would be communicated to the community through their constituency office.

Serowe North MP, Mr Tshekedi Khama said during one of his meetings with the residents in 2009, it was not certain whether the ranch would be used for livestock rearing or crop production. Mr Khama, who is also the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, said residents should clarify whether they needed the borehole for watering livestock or irrigation purposes.

As part of his contribution to the development of the ranch, the minister promised to contribute 15 cattle.  ENDS