03 Feb 2025

Residents of Lentsweletau in the Kweneng District have decried lack of development in their village. 

Speaking during a kgotla meeting organised by the Member of Parliament for Lentsweletau/Lephephe, Mr Tshenolo Bogatsu last week, Kgosi Morulaganyi Makgasane of Lentsweletau said the delays in development could be attributed to failure to upgrade their village into a sub district. He said despite many promises, the sub-district dream remains elusive. 

He decried the state of the Lentsweletau-Molepolole road. Kgosi Makgasane further said they had long been promised a police station but that had not materialised. He also said they were promised the tarring of the Lentsweletau-Mahetlwe road, yet there was no movement towards fulfilment of the promise. 

He cautioned the new Member of Parliament to make sure he delivered as per the promises made to Batswana or else he would not get another five-year term. 

The deputy chairperson of the Village Development Committee, Mr Tiro Leero said they were promised that Motswakhumo Junior Secondary School would be transformed into a Unified School but that did not happen. He said their clinic can no longer accommodate the increased numbers of customers and asked for a hospital. 

Mr Leero further asked for streetlights to illuminate the village and increase the safety of residents. He decried delay in plots allocation, which had resulted in delayed development of the village. He also said the mine in Medie was not benefitting the community, since it had not engaged in any corporate social responsibility initiatives in the village. 

Mr Bogatsu implored the residents to exercise patience as the new government was determined and committed to fulfilling the promises made to Batswana in their manifesto. 

Mr Bogatsu said he believed that democracy could only be fulfilled if government put its people first and addressed their needs without delay. 

Mr Bogatsu said his constituency was poverty stricken and constituents had no employment except Ipelegeng. He added that despite the constituency wallowing in poverty, there was abundance of tourism in the area, which could be used to improve the lives of constituents. 

He said it was the responsibility of residents to utilise agro-tourism in the area including utilisation of the water swamps at Lephephe, Shadishadi and Kokonje. He said the constituency had a lot of morama fruit, which could be used to make oil and butter. 

He said though the current government had a financial problem of empty coffers, all the promises made including the P1 800 for the elderly, P2 500 for university students and the P4 000 living wage would be fulfilled. 

He promised that healthcare and education would be improved. ENDS