24 Feb 2022

The settlement of New Xade was founded 26 years ago, amid much controversy, with some rights groups pushing against relocation of the largely hunter-gatherer community of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) to the new settlement. Government was however resolute.

It would not have any of its people leading a primitive lifestyle and being used as a tourist attraction. Selelo Moapare, a San woman nearing her 60s concurs the relocation of her family from the CKGR to the village of New Xade was about the best thing that happened to them. Growing up in the CKGR her life revolved around hunting game out of the unfenced nearby Khutse Game Reserve, and gathering wild fruits, as did that of many of the residents.

“By integrating us into the mainstream society shows the government recognises that we too have a right to enjoy being Batswana. We are also human and would like to develop like other people,” she said in an interview.

So, the traditional name of the settlement, Kg’oesakene, loosely translating to “looking for life” aptly suits the relocation exercise and the relocating residents’ attitude.

With all the hullabaloo around it, and some believing the government was up to no good, and refusing to be relocated, the exercise went on as planned. Only a few people chose to remain within the CKGR, but the government continued to provide for their needs. It still does. Government’s argument has always been that it relocated the people to promote development for the San communities.

The government has been working closely with Ghanzi District Council to bring the promised development to the community at New Xade. In fact, government would want to see a more robust long lasting relationship between it and residents of New Xade.

This is what Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane relayed to the residents of the settlement when he visited them last year. The government had been providing services to the tune of P200 000 per month to residents of CKGR through the Ghanzi District Council, he said. These services included provision of potable water, food, health services and others.

The VP also met with CKGR Consultative Committee Coordinator Mr Roy Sesana and deliberated on a number of issues of mutual concern.

Enter New Xade Kgosi Lobatse Beslag, an uncompromising advocate of equal opportunity for the San: He is a happy man.

He has participated in a number of international tours where he reiterated government’s stance on the relocation policy. On this interview day, he sat across the table in his smartly furnished office at the New Xade kgotla and exudes the confidence of a man at home with media interviews.

His settlement, he said, was made up of people of San stock, mainly G||anakhwe (kanakhoe) and ǃGingkwe , as well as Babolongwa who are a subgroup of the Bakgalagadi. “We have registered a community

Trust and we have the certificate to start the ball rolling. We are proud of our projects, which we have no doubt will bring financial stability to our community.

There’s much hope here,” he said. Kgosi Beslag was however worried about the state of the 108km gravel road between his village and the Ghanzi Township.

He said the bad road was denying his people a lot of economic opportunities. All in all though he was happy with envisaged develpments coming to his people.

Just recently government commissioned a project to build livestock watering infrastructure. Most of the people would have received their animals through the Rural Administration Development Project Programme (RADP) and government wanted to ensure they did not die from thirst. Government, he said, would pour over P1.3million into the water project.

The project included drilling of boreholes, building of kraals and houses for borehole operators and setting up the reticulation system. The village is also in the pipeline for connection to the national power grid, he said. “Government has also provided funding for the development of a community farm that it gave us inside the CKGR.

Already a 36km perimeter fence has been erected and the community is working on building paddocks for easy management of livestock after restocking,” said Kgosi Beslag.

Senior Economist at Ghanzi Distrcit Council Mr Letsogile Seretse said the council provided social protection services to the settlement’s 230 registered destitute persons as well as 64 others who remained within the CKGR.

Additionally the council provided destitute housing, and had so far built 123 houses.

Government had also funded the setting up of a bakery and a carpentry project both of which were operational and had started bringing in money. As it endeavored to improve the lives of young people across the country, the government has extended the privilege to young people in New Xade, he said. “To date the YDF initiative has funded 21 projects.

These are in the main agriculture projects, especially small stock,” said Mr Seretse. One of the New Xade’s influential community leaders Mr Jumanta Gakelebone was full of praise for the government for allocating the community the 36km2 farm in the CKGR to his people. “This is what Community Based Natural Resource Management is all about,” he beamed.

He explained Itaango Trust ran the farm. Itaango is a Sesarwa name for “Our land”. Mr Gakelebone, who is also Councilor for New Xade, said Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) had pledged close to P1.5million for the development of a campsite where the community planned to operate photography tourism and other events.

“Our interest is to deal with cultural tourism, Basarwa communities undoubtedly have a very rich cultural heritage which we want to use to raise the economy of our area. Funds permitting, we also want to set up a cultural village,” he said.

Gakelebone said communities such as his could always do with support from various donors, and he singled out the Australian Embassy as an example, which he said had pledged funds for the development of an Out of School Education and Training project where residents would be trained on leatherworks, woodwork and beads. Ends