• DHMT Coordinator Dr Sandra Maripe revealed to North West District Councillors
• 17 deaths of children aged below 5 over the same period
• Tragedy a call for action by all
• Parents urged to practice highest levels of hygiene
• Health authorities urge early hospital visits at first symptoms
• North West, Charleshill and Gantsi with highest numbers
By Berninah Bogaisang
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Secretary Jefferson Siamisang has told North West District councillors that while the commission is currently overwhelmed with applications for voter registration transfers, there are suspicions of voter trafficking.
Addressing at the NWDC special full council meeting this week, Siamisang indicated that though statistics have not been availed, voters are flooding IEC offices across the country in an attempt to request for transfers, adding that with North West, Charleshill and Gantsi have the highest numbers. He noted that anyone with valid reasons is allowed to seek a transfer, however Siamisang was quick to note that the reasons should be satisfactory to the IEC officer and provision of necessary evidence if need be. Siamisang has since warned politicians who will be contesting for the forthcoming
general elections to refrain from facilitating transfer requests in an effort to increase the numbers of electorates who might vote for them citing that they may find themselves facing charges of voter trafficking.
He indicated that IEC has increased the fines for such offences from P4000 to P7500 indicating that the fine applies to both the traffickers and those who agreed to be trafficked.
Siamisang revealed that for this year’s voters’ registration IEC managed to register a total number of 1 013 261 (one million 13 thousand, two hundred and sixty-one) voters which is 80% of the target they have set within a period of 57 days as compared to the 2019 general elections where they registered 75% of the set target within 173 days.
As for Northwest District Siamisang revealed that a total number of 46 513 voters successfully registered for the general election while 341 voters were
rejected. He added that for Maun West a total number of 16 601 voters successfully registered while 135 were rejected. He highlighted that a total number of 17 499 voters registered for Maun North and 121 voters were rejected, Maun East has 12 413 with 85 rejected.
“Majority of those who were rejected are those who have already registered to vote elsewhere, they will be able to vote but only once at a polling station the first registered at. That means once you register our system automatically picks where you first registered and rejects
other registrations,” Siamisang said.
Siamisang assured that there is no how one can vote twice since all the 61 constituencies, 28008 polling stations and 609 council wards of Botswana have been linked together in the IEC system. He noted that
it is possible for a person to register twice or more since it is done manually however once the names are scanned and entered into the system those who registered twice will have their registration rejected leaving only one area valid.
By Berninah Bogaisang
The Ngami District Health Management Team (DHMT) has registered more than 600 cases of diarrhoea during the months of July and August, with 17 deaths registered over the same period affecting children aged below 5.
This was revealed by Ngami DHMT coordinator Dr Sandra Maripe when addressing councillors during a special full council meeting on Tuesday. Maripe cited that they have recorded a total number of 623 cases in which 121 experienced fluid loss while 16 had blood in their stools.
“From the 17 deaths that we have recorded, 9 died at home while 8 died at the hospital. This is a shocking number and I plead with parents to bring forth their children for medical assistance when they observe any signs of diarrhoea as that can increase chances of recovery,” Maridpe said. Maripe has since advised parents to practice hygiene, urging them to wash their hands with soap, keeping safe drinking water in clean
containers and to ensure improved sanitation to avoid the spread. She revealed that they are currently rolling out a rota virus vaccine to mitigate the situation.
Meanwhile Moeti ward councillor Botshelobokae Ramasu emphasised the importance of boiling water before drinking water running water from the standpipes change colour, which maybe the underlying cause of the diarrhoea. She further pleaded with other councillors to spread the
word to the electorates across constituencies for people practice hygiene. This she said also applies to pleas for parents to take their children to the hospital at the earliest time when they notice symptoms to avoid mortalities.
Maripe has further noted that causes of diarrhoea can be divided into infectious and non-infectious, with most diarrhea causes in developing countries are associated with bacteria such as salmonella, shigella, campylobacter and
coli. Common viruses that cause diarrhea include rotavirus and norovirus. She further highlighted that in a very few cases, diarrhoea may found to be caused by caused by protozoa such as giardia or cryptosporidium. In some cases, however, some cases may be due to mixed causes while some cases may not have any identified causes. Non-infectious diarrhoea can be caused by malabsorption, anatomical defects, or inflammatory bowel disease.
By Bhekinkosi Phiri
The recent drowning of three young people near the Matlapana Bridge in Maun has cast a spotlight on the alarming lack of water safety measures in the region, sparking renewed discussions about the urgent need for stricter enforcement of water safety regulations to prevent such incidents from becoming a recurring nightmare.
Jade Mogwasi, a Water Safety and Lifeguard Instructor and co-founder of Lifesaving Botswana, expressed deep sorrow over the incident.
“Hearing about this recent tragedy was heartbreaking because I know it could have been prevented if proper safety measures had been in place,” Mogwasi said.
According to Mogwasi, she observed that water safety regulations in Botswana are often too relaxed and insufficiently enforced. She raised concerns about the recurring issue of passengers boarding boats without life jackets, the lack of first aid monitoring, and inadequate training in swimming or lifeguarding skills for boat conductors.
“I have always been an advocate for survival swimming training, especially for children, who are at greater risk of drowning,” Mogwasi shared.
“Despite multiple drowning incidents in Maun, where there is a significant water body, water safety regulations are still not enforced. We need to make changes and take preventative measures that can save lives.”
Following the recent incident Superintendent Joseph Lepodise, in an interview, disclosed that the alleged accident occurred in the afternoon when a boat driver allegedly lost control of a motorboat carrying seven passengers. The boat capsized, leaving
four survivor passengers and the driver – who all swam to shore. Tragically, the remaining three were unable to escape and drowned. The incident happened approximately 2 kilometers from where the Nkashi Classic event was held, but Lepodise clarified that the event was unrelated, as the motorboat had picked up passengers from the nearby Hippo pool backpackers area.
“The case is still under investigation,” Lepodise stated, “as there are findings that the passengers were boarded without life jackets. We have located the boat driver and are working to determine how the boat capsized. It is mandatory that passengers boarding a water vessel must be dressed in lifejackets. Once our investigations are done and our findings made clear we will have cause to charge the driver.”
To put the issue in perspective, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 236,000 people died from drowning in 2019, making it a major public health issue globally. Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths. Most drowning deaths occur in lowand middle-income countries.
In Botswana, WHO data published in 2020 reported that drowning deaths reached 83, accounting for 0.43% of total deaths. The age-adjusted death rate is 3.71 per 100,000 of the population, ranking Botswana 54th in the world.
Mogwasi concluded by urging the community to take action. “I believe we can make a difference. I appeal to the community to support efforts to teach survival swimming from a young age and to work with us as lifeguards to ensure that these efforts are not in vain.”
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By Bhekinkosi Phiri
Defilement and teenage pregnancy continue to be issues of grave concern affecting the country. This as recent the Okavango district alone recently revealed that 77 teenage pregnancies, with 12 of them cited as defilement were reported between April this year and the month of August.
In his address at to the Okavango District Council meeting this week, Chairman Gaopalelwe Ronald shared the alarming statistics, highlighting that Gumare and Shakawe villages recorded the highest numbers.
Chairman Ronald emphasised the importance of collaboration in fighting the crisis, saying, “We must all collaborate to provide support and guidance to these vulnerable teenagers, ensuring that they receive the necessary care, protection, and education to navigate these challenging times.”
He noted the critical role of Child Protection Committees in safeguarding the youth and called for their empow-
erment to combat the rise in cases of teenage pregnancy and defilement.
Baleseng James, Head of the Department for Psychosocial Support at Women Against Rape (WAR), echoed these concerns and shed light on some of the factors contributing to the crisis.
According to James, one of the major challenges in understanding the full scope of defilement in Botswana is the lack of sufficient data. “The real prevalence of defilement is unknown, and that is alarming in itself,” he said. However, he pointed out that the issue extends beyond numbers, as defilement is often a hidden crime.
James highlighted how family structure plays a critical role in protecting or exposing children to abuse. Children who live with both biological parents are at lower risk of abuse, while those in single-parent or step-parent households are more vulnerable. Gender is also a significant factor, with girls being five times more likely to be abused than boys. Socio-economic issues, such as pov-
erty, cultural norms, and the distant work environment especially in areas where parents work away from home, further expose children to the risk of defilement.
The Botswana Police have made strides by introducing child-friendly service centers, which focus on violence against children and defilement. These centers not only provide a safe space for reporting such cases but also offer psychosocial support, something that WAR has long been providing. However, as James pointed out, more must be done to ensure that victims receive justice and proper care.
“Defilement and other GBV cases should be treated as emergencies,” James emphasised. He called for a reform in the legal system, advocating for specialised magistrates’ courts to handle gender-based violence (GBV) cases with the urgency they deserve. The current delays in taking these cases to trial often leave victims waiting for years, adding to their trauma.
James also pointed out that
WAR is actively engaged in public education campaigns aimed at empowering parents and children, particularly in the North West region.
“We encourage parent-child communication through workshops and dialogue sessions,” she noted, adding that these efforts are crucial in building parenting skills and changing harmful social norms.
In terms of policy, WAR has been at the forefront of pushing for legal reforms. In 2021, the organization participated in amending the Sexual Violence Registry Bill and sections of the Penal Code, with a specific focus on Maun.
As the Chairman concluded, “The fight against defilement and teenage pregnancy requires the collective efforts of individuals, families, communities, and all stakeholders.”
James echoed this sentiment, reiterating WAR’s mission to promote gender equality and respond to gender-based violence. “We are striving for a violence-free Ngamiland and Botswana,” he said.
By Staff Writer
Two Zezuru men from Semotswane village were this week slapped with a fouryear jail term by the Francistown Magistrate Court for illegal possession of elephant tusks, while the third accused a 70-year-old man escaped jail by a whisker.
Joseph Kaisara (30) and Jaison Chitore (49) and his father 70-year-old Tsikirayi Chitore were arrested at Mmandunyane turn in Tonota last year October for illegal possession of two elephants’ tusks valued at P24 000.
Kaisara and Chitore pleaded guilty to the charge, while Senior Chitore denied any knowledge of the tusks. Eventually prosecution withdrew the chargeagainst him. The duo who was still searching for a buyer, told the court they took the ivory horns from dead elephants they found at Dikgatlhong dam sometime in July 2023. Sentencing the duo who are first offenders, Principal Magistrate Kabelo Magetse said,” Botswana’s elephants with their tusks are as valuable to our nation as
diamonds. Both critical lifelines that feed our people through tourism and mining. Given their significance, it is important for Botswana to fiercely protect these resources from those who steal them, whether through poaching or being in unlawful possession of the same.”
“The primary objective in this case is to deter unlawful possession. Issuing a fine would not only amount to a mere slap on the wrist for the accused persons, but would also demonstrate the court’s
disregard for wildlife protection. It would highlight how the court’s sentence is grossly misaligned to the country’s conservation efforts”, said Magetse.
Francistown Magistrate said a hefty fine of P50 000 has and will never save wildlife.
However, imprisonment sentence “removes the perpetrator from the environment allowing the wildlife space to thrive and breed freely”.
“To underscore that a fine is ineffective in cases involving endangered species,
even the stock theft Act, the cornerstone of this court, has abolished fines,” continued the Magistrate. In fighting and combating poaching of endangered species, Magetse said Botswana does not suffer from financial constraints but from the challenge of combating anti-conservation of offenders.
“Therefore, the sentence in this case should focus solely on protecting conservation efforts and eliminating fines.”
By Kgosietsile Bontsi
Residents of Pandamatenga, Lesoma and Kazungula (Paleka) last week voted out of office the Board of trustees’ members of PALEKA Community Trust through a motion of no confidence during ta Special General Meeting that was held at Lesoma village Kgotla.
The concerned community members are of the view that the Board members who got into the office in December last year following a Special Annual General meeting were not recognised by the community as their election was unlawful as per the constitution of the trust.
They expressed that the Special Annual General Meeting was held without the presence of Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for facilitation and as such, was null and void.
It is alleged that for the past 10 years PALEKA Community Trust has never held an Annual General Meeting, which has led suspicions of lack of accountability, maladministration and misuse of funds. This as the beneficiary residents claim not to have benefitted from their community resources as per CBNRM policy.
During their term in office former Board of Trustee members are alleged to have used trust funds without consulting relevant stakeholders for court cases, accommodation allowances, sitting allowances, meal allowances and maintenance of office facilities/equipment.
It was against this background that residents of the three beneficiary villages gathered at Lesoma Kgotla
last week to elect the interim Board of Trustees members as per the constitution of PALEKA Community Trust in a transparent notice, facilitated by TAC.
During the meeting the residents demanded a scheduled Annual General Meeting within two months from the Special General meeting date, where all the trust property and financial reports should be made to the general public of the three villages of Lesoma, Kazungula and Pandamatenga.
Giving welcome remarks during the meeting, Kgosi Lesoma Lesoma of Lesoma village said that since the Board got into office last year, they have never presented themselves to the members of the three villages. He revealed that whenever they were called for meetings the Board members did not honour the invitations and did not state any reason for their absence.
Commenting during the meeting, one of the aggrieved Kazungula village community members Mpho Sibanda lamented that since the appointment of the former board members they have not benefited from projects funded by the trust. He stated that it was high time serious action was taken to address the issues facing the trust.
Lesoma Village resident Richwell Khwese said that unemployment is a major concern in the area therefore the community trust should come up with initiatives that would address challenges faced by the youth in the area. He said funds from the trust could be used to fund water projects and educa-
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By Staff Writer
Debswana’s flagship initiative, Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP) meant to empower citizen entrepreneurs to contribute and participate in the diversification of the economy is threatened by citizen owned companies fronting for non-citizen entities.
This was revealed by the mining giant’s Managing Director Andrew Motsomi at the just ended National Business Conference which was held in Francistown.
“Instances of potential front-
ing by citizen entities, which includes seeding and delegating contracts without Debswana’s consent have come to light quite recently and generally a noticeable and predominant phenomenon across the economy.
Batswana tend to pursue rich seeking instead of long term investment as entrepreneurs.
Debswana is confronting the same challenge.”
Another challenge Motsomi pointed out is the over reliance on Debswana by local companies. He called for the private sector to invest in value chain development, to en-
sure sustainable businesses.
“Despite the success of CEEP, we acknowledge emerging challenges we face with respect to this programme. Such as sustainability of Debswana’s suppliers primarily their over reliance on Debswana as a sole customer. This calls for private sector to invest in value chain development to ensure sustainable businesses and potentially greater value addition,” he highlighted.
The local enterprises which have grown alongside Debswana over the years range from mining services,
logistics and catering. Apart from flourishing, the citizen owned companies have only created jobs and contributed to the resilience and diversification of the economy.
Motsomi emphasised the importance of local business entities as vital links in the value chain, and their growth strengthened Botswana’s position in the regional market. He further said Debswana is not only a vital partner in the country’s development but has contributed to Botswana’s transformation, and will continue to drive progress in the coming years.
“I had an opportunity recently to meet with the President of the Botswana Mine workers Union (BMWU) and he did bring up the point that some our suppliers are not abiding by the rules and regulations stipulated in the labour laws and also in our contracts with them,” continued Motsomi.
“These are clearly key concerns, which we should acknowledge and confront these companies to ensure that what is a great programme should be able to deliver good results overall and holistically.”
Concerning the future and to sustainable economic growth
Debswana firmly believes in the development of value chains to enhance the company’s export capabilities.
“We are all aware Botswana is richly endowed in mineral resources. But to truly harness and extract the potential of these resources, we must focus on value addition. At Debswana we have long understood the importance of moving beyond resource extraction. Our commitment to diamond beneficiation process exemplifies how value chain can be added within our borders,” highlighted Motsomi.
By Berninah Bogaisang
The ministry of agriculture has partnered with a private insurance company, Phoenix of Botswana for the provision financial protection against loss or damage to crops and livestock.
The agriculture insurance is said to be one of the key forms of PPP which is in alignment with the overall national strategy to create a conducive environment to encourage and attract private sector investors to play a greater role in promoting the growth of the economy.
Phoenix of Botswana, a part of the Phoenix Assurance Group, incepted in 1912 in Kenya. As one of Africa’s oldest general insurance group, that provides general insurance services.
This was revealed by the minister of agriculture Fedelis Moalo when addressing the revised Agricultural credit guarantee scheme stakeholder meeting this week where he indicated that the proposed agriculture insurance through Phoenix
of Botswana strategically bridges the financial gap created by drought or other covered natural catastrophes on the fiscus by providing financial protection against losses emanating from lower-than-expected yields.
He emphasised that natural risks such as adverse weather conditions, widespread pests and diseases are the key risks facing the agricultural sector. Molao noted that Agriculture through Phoenix of Botswana Assurance will create the much-needed collaboration between government and private sector not only on building resilience on climate change related risks on crop production, but also financially securing both the government, large scale and small-scale farmers in the event of climate related risks.
Over the years the government has been setting aside significant budget allocation towards agriculture inputs to support both large- and small - scale farmers every year.
These include fertilisers, seeds, draught power and
other small-scale equipment. “In the unfortunate event of a crop failure due to drought, which obviously impacts expected yields, the same Government was compelled through its social welfare programs to ensure food security by importing supplementary food reserves,” Molao said.
He further indicated that the combined and cumulative financial requirements for
financing inputs and social welfare puts a severe strain on the fiscus hence the proposed agriculture insurance through Phoenix of Botswana strategically bridges the financial gap created by drought or other covered natural catastrophes on the fiscus by providing financial protection against losses emanating from lower-than-expected yields.
By Bhekinkosi Phiri
As anticipated, Maun buzzed with excitement as the second installment of the Nkashi Classic finals unfolded, drawing a vibrant crowd from all walks of life. The event was a spectacular blend of competitive spirit and entertainment, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Okavango Delta.
Koketso Mookodi, co-founder of the Nkashi Classic, reflected on the event’s success:
“Following last year’s triumph, we decided to bring the event back to our community. It’s a proud occasion that celebrates the cultural essence of the Okavango Delta and unites us once more.”
The festivities began early in the morning with thrilling Mokoro races, featuring the doubles, veteran male and female, adult male and female
and the newly introduced youth male and female categories. This year’s competition was intense, with participants from across the region battling fiercely for the top prizes.
Locals artists among them Stiga Sola, Chokoma and Kurua-Boo all brought the crowd to their feet with their electrifying performances.
Prizes were awarded to the top two finishers in each category, with the winners receiving a P10 000 prize. The finals winners in different categories started with the Youth Female Category, Onalethuso Kehemetswe from Boro took first place, while Lasty Kedisa from Boro won the Youth Male Category.
The Veteran Female Category saw Keikantsemang Goreewang from Boro emerge victorious, and Obusitswe Kagiso from Maun claimed the top spot in the Veteran Male
Category. In the Doubles Category, Letshabamang Dimbo and Magadeline Nxereku from Boro triumphed, while Olopeng Cheu from Boro won the Female Adult Category, and Gabofiwe Ndara from Seronga secured first place in the Male Adult Category.
Mookodi expressed enthusiasm about the new youth category, “we are thrilled to include the next generation in this tradition. The Nkashi classic is not just a competition, but a way to pass on our heritage and foster communal pride. The term ‘Nkashi’ symbolizes our collective progress towards a brighter future.”
The event concluded with a high-energy performance by Nature BW, which brought the contestants and the public together in a joyful celebration that perfectly capped off Nkashi Classic 2024.
Mookodi wrapped up with
spirit, and joy from this event contribute significantly to the social and economic benefits
for Batswana. We promise that next year’s event will be even bigger and better.”
Chobe National Park, one of Botswana’s crown jewels is facing an unprecedented challenge: the alarming congestion of game drive vehicles. Once celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes and abundant wildlife, the park is now at risk of losing its charm and ecological integrity due to the overwhelming number of vehicles vying for a glimpse of its majestic inhabitants.
In recent years, the popularity of Chobe National Park has surged, drawing tourists from around the globe eager to experience its rich biodiversity. However, this influx has led to a troubling phenomenon: traffic jams of safari vehicles crowding the park’s roads, often blocking animal migration routes and disrupting the natural behaviors of wildlife. Elephants, lions, and other iconic species are increasingly stressed by the constant presence of vehicles, which can lead to changes in their feeding, breeding, and migratory patterns.
The impact of this congestion extends beyond the wildlife itself. The very essence of what makes Chobe a premier destination for eco-tourism is being compromised. Tourists seeking an authentic and immersive experience are finding themselves stuck in long lines of vehicles, detracting from the tranquility and wonder that a game drive should offer. As the quality of the experience diminishes, so too does the reputation of Botswana’s tourism industry, which relies heavily on its natural attractions to draw visitors. Despite the pressing need for intervention, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks appears to be struggling to address the issue effectively. A lack of resources and personnel has hampered efforts to
regulate the number of vehicles allowed in the park at any given time. While some measures have been proposed, such as designated viewing areas and timed entry slots, implementation has been slow and often met with resistance from tour operators who fear a decline in business.
The situation calls for urgent action. It is imperative that the government allocates more resources to the Department of Wildlife, enabling them to hire additional staff and implement stricter regulations on vehicle access. This could include limiting the number of vehicles allowed in certain areas during peak times, creating designated routes to minimize congestion, and enhancing ranger presence to monitor compliance.
Moreover, collaboration with local tour operators is essential. By working together, the government and the tourism industry can develop sustainable practices that prioritize wildlife conservation while still providing visitors with unforgettable experiences. Education campaigns aimed at tourists about the importance of respecting wildlife and the environment can also foster a culture of responsible tourism.
Chobe National Park is not just a national treasure; it is a vital part of Botswana’s identity and economy. If we do not act now to address the congestion of game drive vehicles, we risk not only the health of our wildlife but also the future of our tourism industry. It is time for the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to step up, take decisive action, and ensure that Chobe remains a sanctuary for wildlife and a destination of choice for generations to come.
The renowned Chobe National Park’s Chobe River Front, known for its rich wildlife diversity faces its worst threat ever, - environmental degradation due to the high demand for tourism activities at these most sought after destination which has metamorphosed into an unprecedented state of congestion.
The high demand for the Chobe River Front, has led to congestion of vehicles at sightings leading to the distraction and disturbance of wildlife both on land and water, and has continued unabated over the years. The irony of it all, is that it is the tourism activities that threaten the existence of the very product that supports the sector.
While the issue has been a
hot potato for some time –of recent it appears to have surged for the worst – with scenes shared on socials and the internet showing what has been only been experienced in East Africa, raising fears that without proper monitoring and law enforcement Chobe River Front may be decimated. Various stakeholders, and studies have raised concern of this state of affairs – that something needed to be done urgently to save Chobe River Front through sound practises that would ensure environmental sustainability. Pundits have posited before that the implementation of the Chobe National Park Management Plan of 2021, coupled with the necessary law enforcement would release pressure on the Chobe
River Front.
University of Botswana
Professor Mbaiwa’s Unpublished Paper uses the concept of Shadow State to analyse the effects of the tourism juggernaut on the environmental sustainability of the Chobe River Front (CRF).
“Results indicate that the CRF is experiencing overcrowding of tourists’ vehicles and boat activities which
not only reduces the aesthetic value of the CRF but also interferes with wildlife species. The Kasane-Kazungula Redevelopment Plan also threatens the CRF. The government also proposed the construction of eight lodges with a minimum of 50 beds and a maximum of 75 beds each along the CRF. This tourism Juggernaut threatens the environmental
• Chobe District Council aware of risks posed by Kasane landfill
• An environmental eyesore that threatens prospects of tourism
• poses risks to environmental sustainability
• business in neighbourhood suffer
• proposal to relocate and rehabilitate the area made
• council says relocation gives way to new hospital
By Kgosietsile Bontsi
Kasane Landfill remains an eyesore that frustrates the aesthetics of this tourism resort town, and for many years, various stakeholders have called out authorities for turning a blind eye to this environmental transgression.
The Kasane landfill is situated about 200 metres from the major road, connecting the world renowned Chobe National Park, the Kasane International Airport and the neighbouring Zambia (Livingstone) and Zambia (Victoria Falls). These road is used to transfer hordes of tourists who frequent the Chobe National Park from the neighbouring countries, as or selfdrives from the southern part of the country.
Apart from its position on the roadside, it also sits on a prime area of Kasane with a shopping mall, Chobe Farms and an aquaculture project –Chobe Bream - also posing serious health, environmental and economic threats to these establishments.
“Most travellers come to Chobe to unwind and relax, however seeing the landfill right next to the road upsets them, and can mess up their safari,” one safari operator said of the land fill.
After almost two decades –the Chobe District Council
has this week said it is aware of the risks posed by-products of solid waste deposited at Kasane landfill, their adverse effects on the surrounding environment and humans closer to landfill sites.
The delays in relocating the landfill has been blamed on misplaced priorities by the council, and by extension the government through the ministries of local government and that of environment
As alluded earlier, various stakeholders that include conservationists, tourism operators, retail business operators and the community at large have over the years raised concerns with the Chobe District Council about the air pollution and bad odours linked to the landfill site. They are of the view that waste from the landfill has an impact on the surrounding environment and residents living closer to it as it may cause health problems.
The media has also raised the alarm over this landfill – In 2008, The Ngami Times published articles of the environmental dangers of the landfill, and that it was misplaced so much that it had become an eyesore, atleast to our visitors. At that time, elephants were dying from ingesting waste dumped there and calls were made to electrify the area in the short term, while
a long term solution was to relocate.
It appears this has taken more than 16 years for that to be actualised, or atleast for a proposal to be made for the relocation – as through both the District Development Plan 9 (DDP) and the Kasane Kazungula Redevelopment Plan recommendations, Chobe District Council has made a proposal to government requesting for the relocation of the landfill from the prime area to a proposed out. In an interview, Chobe District Council Secretary Joseph Segopa acknowledged that the current location of the landfill is not ideal, as it sits on a prime area in the heart of the tourism resort town. He revealed that they have also received complaints from different stakeholders about the location of the landfill and the environmental risks associated with it, among them pollution. Segopa noted that for the past three years there has not been an operational plant at the landfill site used to compact waste materials which led to fire outbreaks. He indicated that waste materials usually lead to the production of methane gas that
end up causing fire outbreaks. Surprisingly, Segopa said the plan to relocate the landfill was not in response to the public outcry on the location of the landfill and its apparent threats to the environment and to tourism which the economic backbone of Kasane and by extension Chobe, but rather to give way for the construction of a hospital. Segopa has stressed that the plan to relocate the landfill was based on recommendations made through the Kasane-Kazungula Redevelopment Plan to relocate the landfill from the prime area after assessments that were conducted. He stated that the Kasane-Kazungula Development Plan designates allocation of the new Kasane hos-
pital near the landfill as such they would have to propose for government to relocate the landfill and rehabilitate the area since a health facility cannot be located near a landfill.
“From the Kasane-Kazungula Redevelopment Plan proposal the landfill is located at the middle of the prime area, so we believe that going back to the management, we will ask them to consider moving the landfill and to rehabilitate, so that the area can be used for urban developments and generate income,” he said.
Chobe District Council Chairman Chimney Mululwani has also told this publication they have received many complaints from the
An article of The Ngami Times from the Archives 16 years ago about the Land ill
public about the Kasane landfill. Mululwani stated that the council is aware of the situation and everyone living in Chobe is aware of that. He stated that indeed the landfill poses pollution risks to residents living near the area and businesses operating near it. “There are plans underway to relocate the landfill and to rehabilitate it current location, through the District Development Plan (DDP) 9. We have proposed the issue of relocating the landfill as one of the top priorities so that we can receive funds for the project,” he said.
From page 8
sustainability of the CRF. To conserve the CRF, tourism planners and managers need to adhere to the principles of sustainable tourism especially in tourism infrastructure and activities,” Mbaiwa’s Paper reveals.
Despite these daylight illegalities committed in the park, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks appears to be poorly resourced to deal with the situation. There have been concerns that the department does not have a single patrol vehicle to traverse the park and bring law and order.
Efforts have been made to solicit a comment from the department, but to no avail. So serious is the problem
that all the units across the department are said to be affected – including the key ones of Problem animal control and anti-poaching unit. But who are the culprits to these acts on the river front?
– In random interviews an observation by Conservation Voices in the Park is that – self drives and mobile safaris account for the majority of these transgressions, and some fixed lodges from around Kasane.
“Vehicles and game drives contribute to congestion at the Chobe Riverfront. The proximity of the Chobe Riverfront to Kasane on the east and to Ngoma and the Chobe Enclave on the west results in a much higher proportion of day users. Game drives contribute to tourism
congestion at the CRF. This congestion has its origins from around 2000 as tourism grew in Kasane and in the park,” Mbaiwa’s Unpublished paper reveals
The congestion on the Chobe river does not involve game drives and vehicles only, boat cruises in the river also contribute as Mbaiwa’s Paper reveals. It is also critical to note that some boat operators on cruises do not adhere to the regulations.
“The high number of boats on the Chobe River front indicates that the riverfront is congested and are often a disturbance to wildlife and birds’ species hence posing an environmental challenge to the riverfront.”
The paper further highlights
that, The Chobe River is a significant tourist attraction and provides significant wildlife and birdlife viewing opportunities from motorboats of varying sizes.
“However, the movement of these boats is resulting in significant impacts upon the riverbank because of erosion from wake wash. This wake wash erosion results in the exposure of tree roots and ultimately the collapse of a significant number of large mature trees, including majestic knobthorns (Acacia nigrescens), due to undercutting of the riverbank. Additionally, this erosion is washing sediment into the river which exacerbates turbidity in the water and over time will contribute towards the silting up of the Chobe
River.”
In an interesting turn of events, while the issue of congestion was hot on the table, with studies clearly stating that Chobe National Park could not take any developments of lodges of any other form, the DWNP announced proposed lodge 8 sites on the Chobe River Front.
This attracted a lot of media interest, and the industry, conservationists, environmentalists, researchers and academia raised an audible outcry. The fear was that government was adding injury to an already delicate issue – and this move was labelled as ‘killing the goose that lays the golden egg.’
The proposed sites, would see lodges with a maximum
of 70 beds constructed in the area- and where to be 2 kilometres apart. It would appear this is where government lost focus on environmental sustainability.
The Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB), which has previously criticised any move to further congest the Chobe River Front is expected to address concerns that some of the operators involved in illegal activities in the park are their members. An enquiry has been lodged with HATAB, to establish how the organisation ensured that while there are the unprecedented levels of congestions – their members adhere to regulations to ensure responsible and best practices by the operators.
*With Professor Joseph Mbaiwa
For the Okavango region and Botswana, predictions of a good rainfall season from October 2024 to March 2025 is good news. The Twenty-Ninth Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-29) held in Harare, Zimbabwe, 26–28 August 2024 recently released a statement that confirming that the SADC region will receive good rains in 2024/2025 rainfall season.
Precisely, SARCOF-29 indicates that the SADC region is likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for most of the period of October to December 2024. The period January to March 2025 is also expected to have normal to above normal rainfall including most parts of Botswana. The SARCOF-29 rainfall outlook Report is broadly consistent with the forecasts generated with the multi-model ensemble of international dynamical climate forecast models presented by the World Meteorological Organization.
In this regard, the increased probability of normal to above normal conditions are forecasted consistently across the October to March 2024/25 period for the central part of SADC region including Botswana. The prediction of above-normal rainfall in the Okavango Delta has several implications:
Firstly, A good Ecosystem Health for the Okavango Delta. Increased rainfall could enhance the delta’s water levels, which would benefit the flora and fauna. This could lead to more abundant vegetation and support a higher density of wildlife, improving overall biodiversity. Secondly, Flood Risks, that is, while increased water levels can be beneficial, excessive rainfall can lead to flooding. This could affect local communities and infrastructure, potentially causing displacement or damage. It is essential for local authorities to prepare for possible flood scenarios.
Thirdly, Agricultural Impact, that is, for local agriculture, more rainfall can be both advantageous and challenging. While crops may benefit from increased water supply, there’s a risk of waterlogging and potential damage to crops if the rains are too intense or prolonged especially for those practicing Molapo farming.
Fourthly, Tourism, the Okavango Delta is a major tourism destination, known for its wildlife and scenic beauty.
Enhanced water levels can improve the experience for tourists by making wildlife viewing more accessible and increasing the aesthetic appeal of the landscape. However, if floods affect tourism infrastructure, there could be negative impacts as well.
Fifthly, Water Management, that is managing water resources will be crucial. Increased rainfall can affect the balance of water distribution, requiring careful management to ensure sustainable use for both human needs and ecological health. This scenario was experienced between 2010 and 2019 when the Thamalakane9 River was flowing year-round but there was no water in Maun because Water Utilities could not have access to boreholes which were covered by floods.
Sixthly, climate Adaptation. This forecast underscores the importance of climate adaptation strategies for the region and Botswana. Communities and stakeholders in the delta will need to assess and adjust their practices to accommodate the anticipated changes, whether it’s in managing water resources, preparing for potential flooding, or adjusting agricultural practices.
Finally, it should be noted that Normal Rainfall refers to the average amount of rainfall that an area typically receives during a specific period, such as a month or a season, based on historical data. It represents a baseline level of precipitation that is considered typical for that location and time of year. Conversely, Above Normal Rainfall means that the forecasted or observed amount of rainfall is expected to be greater than the historical average for that same period. If rainfall is predicted to be “above normal,” it suggests that the area will receive more precipitation than usual. This is therefore predicted for Botswana from October 2024 to March 2025. Therefore, while above-normal rainfall in the Okavango Delta can offer numerous benefits, it also necessitates careful planning and management to mitigate potential risks and maximize positive outcomes by those in authority.
*Joseph E. Mbaiwa, PhD is a Professor of Tourism Studies, at the Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana in Maun.
By Bhekinkosi Phiri
Wilderness Botswana hosted a vibrant Heritage Day celebration last week that brought together its staff, key stakeholders and local authorities at its offices in Maun. The event was a colourful display of the rich cultural diversity that defines the company.
Dawson Ramsden, the Chief Staff at OWS, highlighted the significance of the occasion. “This day is celebrated across all Wilderness branches globally to honor the company’s rich tapestry of cultures. Despite our differences, we have come together to embrace our multicultural backgrounds, which have shaped and propelled the company to greater heights,” Ramsden stated. The day was filled with captivating performances, starting with the Wilderness choir, dressed in traditional Tswana attire, delivered a series of soulful songs that left the audience in awe. Later, Ramsden and his colleague Wesley Hartma took to the stage with a guitar and song performance that energised, the crowd, leaving them dancing and yearning for more.
The attendees, adorned in a variety of cultural outfits,
showcased the diversity of the event. The traditional Herero Ohorokova, the Tswana Shweshwe dress, and even some renditions of Ghanaian attire were among the clothing on display, reflecting the broad spectrum of cultural pride present at the gathering. In addition to the visual feast, attendees were treated to a palate of traditional dishes, including local favorites like Seswaa and Bogobe jwa Lerotse, further emphasising the theme of cultural celebration.
“Heritage Day brought us together and allowed everyone in attendance to express the pride they have in their own cultures. It also served as a unique bonding experience for the staff, who could showcase their native dressings and build a different dynamic of chemistry,” Ramsden explained.
North West District Council Chairman Itumeleng Kelebetseng expressed appreciation for the cultural diversity on display. “I appreciate every culture here and have thoroughly enjoyed the dance and song that have brought us together on this day,” Kelebetseng remarked.
Wilderness Safaris, a leading ecotourism company operating across Africa, has always
been committed to sustainability. Founded in 1983 in Botswana, the company has grown to operate luxury safari camps and lodges in several African countries, including Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
“We at Wilderness embrace our differences and multicultural backgrounds. I believe
this year’s event was a resounding success, drawing in more people than before and deepening our understanding of the company’s ethos. As we move forward, I hope this event continues to grow, shining a light on the people who are the true currency of our company,” Ramsden concluded.
Notification for Public Review of Environmental Statement for the Proposed Agro- Tourism Project at (NG/19) Khwai Village, North West District by Bakgethi Baremi & Company (Pty) Ltd
This notice is issued in terms of Section 10 of the Environmental Assessment Act (Cap 65:07).
The major findings of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study are as follows;
1. Nature & Magnitude of the Proposed Agro-Tourism Project
The major components of the proposed Agro-Tourism project at Khwai village are;
• 10 self-contained tented chalets with maximum capacity of 20 persons per night,
• Campsite with eight camping spots,
• Front office for the lodge and campsite,
• Full separate restaurant of the campsite and the lodge,
• Local wastewater treatment systems,
• Local photovoltaic systems, with backup generator,
• Vehicle and machinery maintenance bay and storage,
• tour activities (e.g. game viewing drives and mokoro rides), and
• apiculture (bee keeping)
2. Rationale & Objectives
The proposed project intends to operate a commercially viable agro-tourism camp at Khwai village to take advantage of the high eco-tourism value of the area. The proposed agro-tourism camp is consistent with Botswana’s aspirations of increasing local participation in the lucrative tourism sector and improvement of local livelihoods.
3. Location
The proposed agro-tourism project is in the Khwai village catchment area just 1km off the Khwai-Mababe Road and 7.5 km northeast of Khwai Village and along the Khwai River, a tributary of the Okavango Delta. Within the Khwai catchment, there are up to 22 existing tourism establishments.
4. Anticipated Environmental Impacts & Suggested Mitigation Measure
Environmental ImpactProject Phase Suggested Impact Mitigation/Enhancement Measures
Identified positive impacts
Creation of employment opportunities
Support local economic activity
Participation of locals/citizens in the tourism sector
Protection of representative riparian vegetation
Identified negative impacts
General environmental pollution
Occupational hazards
Spread of communicable
diseases and social ills
Wildlife habituation and human wildlife conflict
Soil erosion and sedimentation of the river
Pollution of water resources
All• Reserve unskilled and semi-skilled jobs for the local community of Khwai
• Facilitate training of locals in various skills and crafts required by the proposed project
• Effective application of labour laws of Botswana to ensure conducive work environment
All• Outsource inputs and services to local suppliers where applicable,
Project operation
Project operation
• Develop linkages and relationships with other local tourism companies
• Actively seek opportunities for expansion and diversification.
• Maintain majority shareholding by locals in the event of disposal of shares,
• Develop linkages and relationships with other local tourism companies\ Actively seek opportunities for expansion and diversification.
• Retain and avoid felling of mature trees
• Where necessary develop individual tree protection measures, for example fencing off or wrapping the trunk with wire fence
• Limit vehicle tracks and routes within the Riparian vegetation
All• Sort waste on site
• Recycle or reuse as much of the waste material as possible
• Engage private waste management companies to collect and dispose of waste
• Dispose of all waste material at designated facilities
All• Conduct occupational safety training for workers across all phases of the project
• Provide correct Personal Protective Equipment to all workers
• Report all incidents of harm to the relevant authorities
All• Conduct routine staff training on communicable diseases
• Provide information (Setswana and English) on emerging communicable diseases to employees
• Provide tools (e.g. condoms and sanitary equipment) for prevention and management of communicable diseases
• Engage the Ministry of Health and Wellness to manage the risk of spread of communicable diseases
Project operation
Project operation
Project operation
Introduction of exotic species Project operation
Risk of erosion of genetic diversity of the local bee population
Disturbance to wildlife and changes in wildlife behaviour
Tourists’ congestion
Project operation
Project operation
Project operation
5. Conclusion & Recommendations
• Dispose of all food waste in wildlife-proof waste receptacles
• Report all incidents of wildlife habituation and problem animals to the nearest Department of Wildlife and National Parks office
• Avoid felling of mature canopy trees or indiscriminate removal of vegetation cover
• Manage slopes to reduce surface runoff; backfilling of emerging gullies with stones
• Install an onsite wastewater treatment plant,
• Locate the sewage storage tanks furthest from the river
• Routine inspection and maintenance of sewerage
• Routine water quality testing of the Khwai River around the project site
• Engage private waste management companies to dispose of accumulated sludge at Maun Sewage Treatment Ponds
• Retain large mature trees and natural vegetation to enhance aesthetics,
• Use native species in gardening and landscaping
• Do not fell protected tree species; e.g. baobab, fan palm
• Report all incidents of exotic species to the Competent Authority, and
• Disinfect all boats brought to the project
• Use only local bees for apiculture activity
• Raise other colonies from the initial wild caught bees
• Monitor comparative population performance of wild bees and the reared ones.
• Follow applicable park regulations even though NG19 is outside a protected area (not driving off road and no night game drives)
• Install wildlife proof waste food bins and wastewater storage tanks
• Minimise the number of vehicles on game viewing trips through maximising capacity on each vehicle
This environmental assessment study has identified positive and negative possible impacts of the proposed project. However, based on overall evaluation of these impacts, this study concludes that the proposed agro-tourism project at Khwai village is of net positive value and hence should be implemented with strict adherence to environmental monitoring plan, all applicable laws, policies, procedures and codes of Botswana.
6. Environmental Statement Placement
Copies of the environmental statement can be reviewed at the following locations;
• Khwai village Kgotla
• Department of Environmental Protection (Maun office)
Written comments and/or objections should be submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection by 13th September 2024.
All correspondences should be directly forwarded to,
Tshekatsheko ka sechaba ya ditshekatsheko tsa seemo sa tikologo mabapi le tlhabololo ya temo e e kopantsweng le bojanala mo motseng wa Khwai (NG/19) mo kgaolong ya Bokone Bophirima ka Bakgethi Baremi & Company (Pty) Ltd
Kitsiso e, e ntshiwa mabapi le temana ya bolesome ya Molao wa Tshekatsheko Tikologo (Cap 65:07).
Dintlhakgolo tsa ditshekatsheko ke tse di latelang;
1. Boleng le Selekanyo sa Tlhabololo
Tlhabololo e ya temo e e kopantsweng le bojanala, e ka kgaoganngwa ka dikarolo tse di latelang;
• Matlo a boroko a agilweng ka tante a le lesome,
• Mafelo a go kampiwang mo go one a ferabobedi,
• Mafelo a go amogelwang baeti mo go one,
• Mafelo a dijo le dino,
• Kgopo ya metsi a a leswe,
• Motlakase wa marang a letsatsi le wa tshoganyetso o o fetlhiwang ka leokwane,
• Lefelo le go baakanyetswang dikoloi le didirisiwa tse dingwe, le
• Thuo ya dinotshe
2. Maikaelelo a Tlhabololo
Tlhabololo e, e ikaelela go tsamaisa kgwebo ya temo e e kopantsweng le bojanala e e ntshang dipoelo e tsamaisanya le seemo se se ko godimo sa bojanala jwa kgaolwana ya Khwai. Tlhabololo e, e tsamaisanya le dikeletso tsa lefatshe la Botswana tsa go oketsa seabe sa benggae mo mohameng wa bojanala le go tlhabolola matshelo a batho mo gae
3. Lefelo
Tlhabololo e, e mo motseng wa Khwai, khilomethara e le nngwe go tswa mo tseleleng e e folaganyang metse ya Mababe le Khwai gape e le dikhilomethara di supa le sephatlo go tswa mo motsemg wa Khwai mo letshitshing la noka ya Khwai, e e leng bontlhabongwe jwa makgobokgobo a Okavango. Mo kgaolwaneng ya Khwai, go nale ditlhabololo tsa bojanala tse di mo tirisong di feta masome a mabedi le bobedi.
4. Ditlamorago le metlhale ya go di fokotsa manokonoko
Ditlamorago tse di solofetsweng Legato la Tlhabololo Metlhale ya go fokotsa manokonoko
Ditlamorago tse di Molemo
Diphatha tsa ditiro Ka nako tsotlhe tsa tlhabololo
• Ditiro tse di sa tlhokeng dikitso tse di tseneletseng di remelele mo benggae
• Thuto ya benggae ka dikitso tsa ditiro tse di tlaa thokwang ke tlhabololo
Street, Light Industrial Area (Next to Motovac). Maun
• Melao ya pereko ya Botswana e salwe morago ka nako tsotlhe Thotoetso ya madirelo a mo gae Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
• Ditiro le ditirelo tse ditlhokwang ke tlhabololo di remelele mo benggae
• Tomagano le ditlhabololo tse dingwe tsa bojanala mo kgaolwaneng ya Khwai
• Batla metlhale ya go kabakanya le go godisa tlhabololo
Go tsaya karolo ga benggae mo mohameng wa bojanala Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
Tshireletsego ya ditlhare tse di fa thoko ga noka Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
Ditlamorago tse di bosula
Kgotlelesego ya tikologo Ka nako tsotlhe tsa tlhabololo
Dikotsi mo tirong Ka nako tsotlhe tsa tlhabololo
Kanamo ya malwetsi a a tshelanwang
Kamano le kgothakgothano ya batho le diphologolo
Kgothego ya mmu le go katelesega ga noka
Kgotlelesego ya metsi
Tlhagogo ya dimela tse e seng tsa mo gae
Ka nako tsotlhe tsa tlhabololo
Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
Kwelo tlase ya boleng jwa dinotshe tsa mo gae
Kgoreletsego le phetogo ya maitshwaro a diphologolo
Kgothagano ya bajanala
5. Tshoboko
Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
Ka nako ya tlhabololo e le mo tirisong
• Rurifatsa gore benggae banna le seabe se segolo fa go ka diragala gore tlhabololo e rekisiwe
• Tomagano le ditlhabololo tse dingwe tsa bojanala mo kgaolwaneng ya Khwai
• Batla metlhale ya go kabakanya le go godisa tlhabololo
• Se kgaole ditlhare tse ditona tse di fa tlase ga noka
• Fa go thokega, sireletsa ditlhare tse ditona ka bongwe ka bongwe ka go di agelela ka terata
• Fokotsa metsamao ya dikoloi gaufi le noka
• Farologanya matlakala
• Fa go kgonega, dirisa matlakala sengwe se se mosola
• Thapa komponi tse di ikemetseng to tsaya le go latlha matlakala
• Latlhela matlakala otlhe ko mafelong a a beilweng ke ka fa molaong
• Ruta badiri botlhe ka pabalesego mo tirong
• Neela badiri botlhe kapari ya itshireletso e e tshwanetseng
• Bega dikotsi tsotlhe tsa mo tirong mo go ba ba lebanyeng
• Ruta badiri ka maletswe a a tshelanwang kgapetsa kgapetsa
• Neela badiri dintlha/melaetsa ka malwetsi a a tshelanwang
• Neela badiri didirisiwa (dikai, dikauso tsa itshireletso le mafelo a go tlhapelwang mo go one) tsa itshereletso mo malwetseng a a tshelanwang
• Dirisanya le ba Lephata la Botsogo go thibela malwetse a a tshelanwang
• Boloka masalela otlhe a dijo fa diphologolo di ka se tseneng teng
• Bega ditiragalo tsotlhe tsa kamano le kgothakgothano ya batho le diphlogolo ko Lephateng la Diphologolo
• Se kgaole ditlhare le dimela gongwe le gongwe
• Katela mesele ya metsi a pula go fokotsa kgothego ya mmu
• Aga mesele le polokelo ya kgopo ya metsi a a leswe
• Rurifatsa gore mesele le lefelo la polokelo ya mesti a a leswe a mo seemong sa tiriso se se siameng ka nako tsotlhe
• Thathoba boleng jwa metsi a noka gaufi le tlhabololo kgapetsa kgapetsa
• Thapa komponi e e ikemetseng go tsaya le go tshololela bokgophe jwa metsi a a leswe ko lefelong le le thatswang metsi a a leswe ko Maun
• Dirisa ditlhare le dimela tsa mo gae go ntlefatsa lefelo
• Se reme ditlhare tse di sireleditsweng, jaaka mowana le mokolwane
• Bega ditiragalo tsotlhe tsa dimela tse ditswang ko ntle mo go baba lebanyeng
• Tlhatswa mekoro yotlhe e e gorogang mo lefelong ka melemo e e bolayang ditlhatsana
• Rua dinotshe tsa mo gae fela mo mohameng wa thuo ya dinotshe
• Godisa metshitshi e mengwe go tswa mo go e menwge
• Lebelela ka kelothoko pharologanya ya maduo mo dinotshing tse di ruilweng le tse di mo nageng
• Sala morago melawana ya mafelo a a sireleditsweng a diphologolo le fa NG19 e le ko ntle ga one
• Dirisa mabolokelo a matlakala a a sekeng a tsenwe ke diphologolo
• Tlatsa manno otlhe mo dikoloing tse di tsamaisang bajanala go fokotsa mosuke wa dikoloi
Ditshekatsheko tse di lemogile ditlamorago tse di molemo le tse di bosula tsa tlhabololo e. Mme le fa go ntse jalo, tshoboko e supa gore bomolemo jwa tlhabololo e mo motseng wa Khwai bo gaisa bosula. Ka jalo, ditshekatsheko tse, di dumalana le gore tlhabololo e e ka tswelela, mme go salwe morago melao, melawana le ditsamaiso tsotlhe tse di maleba tsa lefatshe la Botswana.
6. Mafelo a go Beilweng Maduo a Dipatlisiso
Meriti ya ditshekatsheko tse, e ka bonwa le go sekasekwa ko mafelong a a latelang;
• Kgotla ya motse wa Khwai
• Lephata la Tshomarelo Tikologo - Maun
Dikakgelo ka ditshekatsheko tse di ka romelwa ko Lephateng la Tshomarelo Tikologo go ema ka kgwedi ya Lwetse e thola malatsi a le lesome le boraro ngwaga wa 2024. Dikakgelo tsotlhe di ka romelwa kwa go;
Mookamedi wa Kgaolo
Lephata la Tshomerelo Tikologo
P. O. Box 35
Maun. Botswana
Mogala: +267 680 1237
Fax: +267 686 2503
kgotsa ya isiwa ko Plot 523 Mophane Street (go bapa le Motovac). Light Industrial
By Berninah Bogaisang
The Maun High Court has ruled against an application by Oldman’s Pan interdicting Tcheku Community Trust from utilising its hunting quota for this hunting season. Oldman’s Pan (Pty) Ltd had filed an application for arbitration and interdiction against Tcheku Community Trust following the termination of a memorandum of agreement which the two parties entered in 2020. Old man’s Pan had made an application seeking arbitration and an interdict pending arbitration proceedings. Tcheku Trust was then, fol-
lowing the application ordered by Maun High Court Judge to refrain from conducting any hunting activities and establishing a photographic camp or similar function within the boundaries of Controlled Hunting Area NG13 pending the final determination of the arbitration proceedings between the two parties. Trouble started on March 12, 2024 when the two parties met in Shakawe to negotiate the hunting quota fee and failed to reach an agreement. Prior to the meeting, the Trust sent a letter authored by Kebonyemodisa Law Firm to the
applicant terminating their MOA. Old Man’s Pan made the application following a termination of their agreement.
Passing verdict recently, Maun High Court Judge Godfrey Nthomiwa stated that it is not disputed that the respondents could exercise the right to terminate the agreement with the applicant in terms of their agreement. He emphasised that as a community trust, the respondent in doing so had to exercise that right with due regard to principles of justice, fairness and good faith. He further indicated that
the decision by the respondents does not appear to be a subject of arbitration further stating that it has been submitted that the applicant failed to make out a case for the granting of the reliefs sought.
“In my view the applicants have failed to make out a case for the granting of the reliefs sought and if there is any complaint regarding termination by the respondents, of rights to joint ownership of any commercial rights over NG 13, the applicant ought to have instituted among other an action for damages it may have suffered, therefore the
applicant fails with costs,” Nthomiwa said.
According to court documents the applicant had cited that they entered into an agreement with the trust to invest in NG13, by facilitating developments including among them construction of roads infrastructure to make it suitable for hunting and photography purposes among others.
It further states that in return the trust would jointly utilise resources in NG13 with Oldman’s Pan for a period of 3 years until termination by either party after giving a 6 months’ notice.
A termination letter signed by the trust’s Chairperson Alex Senyemba maintains that the reasons for termination bordered on Old Man’s Pan’s breach of the agreement by voluntarily working with the village Development Committee (VDC) and individuals to manage the NG 13 concession without the consent of the board. The letter further states that Old Man’s Pan organised illegal groups which allegedly divided the community and destabilised the unity and democracy of the trust. It further stated that the applicant still owed the respondents P102 000.
• Lucas lost BDP primaries as a parliamentary candidate
• cites irregularities during elections as reasons for his defection
By Staff Writer
Exactly a month after losing the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primary elec-
tions, Francistown specially elected councilor Modiri Jojo Lucas has dumped the ruling party for the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF).
Lucas who was unveiled during a BPF press conference this week said the disgruntled voters in Francistown South begged him
Hana Ven (Proprietary) Limited, a private company is looking for a CEO to be based in to be based in the Khwai Private Reserve
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE (CEO)
Role and Responsibilities
• In effecting the Manager Services, the CEO shall:
• Assist with the financial and accounting management of the Company
• Assist with procurement and logistics in respect of certain goods and services as agreed from time to time.
• have oversight functions and make recommendations to the board of directors over any commercial decisions required to be made and practices which may be implemented in respect of the Business in Botswana
• To the best of his ability, and to the extent that other parties and authorities referred to below are prepared to co-operate and work with the CEO
• Work with the government departments of Botswana and the Ministries that have an influence on the concessions, namely the Ministry of Tourism, and the DWNP, BTO, and Department of Tourism and the DEA.
• maintain a close relationship with the Khwai Development Trust Board
• oversee the human resources department in conjunction with the head of Human Resources
• oversee the concession management; this to include working with the research department to implement a viable research biodiversity map of NG 18
• look at expanding the products that the area can offer by working closely with the marketing and management team of Natural Selection .
• oversee the company smooth running of all its operations
• liaise with COO of the Natural Selection after monitoring and assessing performance of the camps and sharing that information with the directors of the company.
• implemented the systems introduced by Natural Selection, agreed to by the directors of the company, to enhance the smooth running of the area and the camps and to enhance guest satisfaction while within the concessions.
Requirements include Tertiary Qualification in either Business management or a similar degree or technical qualifications, 17 years previous experience in a similar management position in remote camp environment. Experience in working various countries will be an added advantage; Strong administrative skills; staff management and skills development, cost management and finance. Proficient in English and ability to communicate in other foreign languages a big advantage. Previous experience in training staff; Minimum of 3 contactable references; Candidates need to be willing to work in remote areas for extended periods of time. Driver’s license is essential and computer skills need to be advanced
Candidates to send CV’s with cover letter specifying name of position and publication of advert to:tshidi@khwaiprivatereserve.com Closing date 11 September 2024
to contest in the upcoming elections, even if it meant finding a different political home.
The hoarse voiced councilor said another reason for abandoning the BDP was due to the chaotic primary elections which were conducted in July.
“The primary elections were marred with so much irregularities and confusion. They were the worst ever. Rigging was rampant. Voters in Boikhutso were able to cast their votes in more than one polling station. People were voting at night and the voters roll was in shambles!
The secretary general of BDP did admit that the primary elections country wide was not conducted smoothly,” said Lucas.
“I did not want to lodge an appeal but members of Francistown South approached me in large numbers asking me to appeal the results.
They said they had seen and realised how I worked and served people in the constituency. And it was their wish for me to be their representative in the general elections, but because there was a plan already underway for me not to win”
Due to the persuasion of his followers, Lucas then lodged an appeal with the regional office.
“The appeal was thrown out by the region. A meeting which was convened without the treasurer. He was not told. It was a Kangaroo court, which was planned to ensure my appeal is not successful,” continued Lucas.
“I lost the appeal on the technicality that I did not accept the results at Montsamaisa which was the verification centre. But how could I accept the results when the retaining officer refused to announce the results. He said the results are
announced in Gaborone at Tsholetsa House.”
Specially elected councillor Lucas said he followed all necessary procedures and waited for the Central committee to meet and take decisions.
“I waited for a response but it never came. I waited for the congress hoping something positive will come out, but it failed once again. This when people came back to me to say I should contest because they do not vote for a party but for a capable individual,” explained Lucas. Lucas will now contest under the BPF ticket in the October 30 general election. This is the second time Lucas will be a parliamentary candidate for Francistown South. He has since promised to bring over 1000 members to his new political stable.
China reaps most of the benefits of its relationship with Africa: What’s behind the imbalance
The ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing takes place under the theme of “Joining hands to advance modernisation and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future”. But how shared can that future be between the Asian economic giant and Africa?
The eight summits since 2000 have not resulted in mutual gain, particularly in trade and industrialisation for Africa. China has reaped most of the benefits. The fault lies with Africa’s lack of a strategy for engagement with China.
I am a scholar of international relations and have researched Africa-China relations over several years.
The China-Africa cooperation forum has become the most important event on the African international relations calendar.
More African leaders attend these summits than the United Nations general assembly. Data shows that the forum attracts 40 to 60 African heads of state and government, far more than any other regular summit with a single country. The US-Africa Leaders Summit in December 2022 saw participation by 45 heads of state and government and 49 countries, but it is far less frequent. The previous one was in 2014.
Although the EU, France, South Korea and the US are important to the African continent, they do not have the same ambition that China has. Nor the kind of free hand that China’s authoritarian system allows its leaders. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is therefore important for African leaders because it often leads to big promises which outweigh anything that
European colonisation of Africa was not only about armed conquest, massacres and the exploitation of resources. It was also about the appropriation of spiritual and political symbols. It led to the erasure of a social, cultural, symbolic world.
can be promised by other partners in one sitting.
It has become clear, however, that the forum is a platform for China to dole out aid and loans to African countries, and to articulate priorities that serve its own broader ambitions. Africa’s voice is minimal in the agenda-setting, due mostly to the multiplicity of African states, African Union weakness and competing needs among African countries.
Africa needs a concerted approach towards China and all of its socalled strategic partnerships. The AU Commission should negotiate and set the overall direction in these forums.
Africa-China relations since 2000
Since its inception, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation has seen China promise tens of billions of dollars in aid, investment and loans to African states. The figure most often cited in recent years is the US$60 billion to be disbursed over three years, first between 2015 and 2018, and then between 2018 and 2021.
However, there is some ambiguity about this committed figure. It is not clear how much of this amount has actually been disbursed, indicating that China may have not lived up to its promises. No official statistics have been released, and the African side has not insisted on a more transparent approach. So Beijing has near absolute power over information and the discourse about the relationship. China also reportedly broadens definitions of what counts as aid (by including interest-free loans under this category, for example) to suit its political needs.
What has been observable, however, is the level of infrastructure and industrial cooperation between Africa and Chinese companies, some with partial state ownership.
Chinese companies have cooperated with African governments in constructing railways, airports, harbours, bridges, and information and communication technology infrastructure. These, however, are the products of bilateral engagement between China and individual African countries, as they pursue their own foreign policies, more than any collective African strategy. The piecemeal engagement leads to greater bargaining power for the Chinese side.
My research shows that the gains from bilateral deals largely go to China: the equipment, high-level personnel and technical experts come from China. There has been little to no technology and skills transfer from China to Africa. The local populations mainly participate in labour work and government relations in the projects. Africa’s lack of a strategy China has had a long-standing Africa Strategy, published in 2006. Nearly two decades years later, Africa has none.
The strategy presents China as seeking to be a partner in Africa’s development, while recognising the continent’s mineral and strategic value. Thus, more than any other major power, China has pursued its relationship with Africa in a concerted long-term fashion. For its part, Africa has not been proactive and still engages with Beijing in an individualised and haphazard manner.
One of the many hindrances to following a single African strat-
The book is divided into three parts: The Battlefield, The Royal Palace and The Sacred. These parts are in turn divided into chapters.
egy towards China is the number of countries on the continent. The forum encompasses nearly all African countries with the exception of eSwatini, which maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan. On the face of it this would appear to be an advantage for Africa: more than 50 states against one. However, the advantage is towards China, which operates as a single actor and can have a coherent set of objectives across governments over a long period.
Then, there’s the weakness of the African Union.
The African side does have, at least on paper, a single entity. The AU Commission, which is headed by a chairperson elected by the AU’s Heads of State and Government Assembly to a five-year term (renewable once), is empowered to draft Africa’s position in international negotiations.
However, the reality is that most African states prefer individual sovereignty over a pooled approach. The AU Commission chairperson has no special privileges or directive powers over the African position at the China forum.
Unequal gains likely to persist
The result of a lack of an African strategy is the imbalanced terms of trade between China and African countries. This is seen most notably in the trade surplus that China enjoys: most recently measured at US$64.1 billion as of 2023 and still seemingly growing (having been at US$46 billion the previous year and US$42 billion in 2021).
Over the past ten years, the structure of that trade has not changed either, despite China’s pledge to help Africa industrialise.
African countries still largely export raw minerals and agricultural goods to China, while it sends back advanced manufactures, such as electronics, machinery and vehicles. Without an African strategy, the same pattern looks set to continue.
TheConversation.
* With Dr Bernard Morapedi
Stroke is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off There are 2 main causes of an abrupt cut-off of blood supply to the brain. The first and most common is what is referred to as an ischemic stroke, whereby a blood clot blocks the blood vessel. The other less common cause of stroke is haemorrhagic stroke whereby a weakened blood vessel bursts and blood leaks into the brain.
rhagic stroke can undergo surgery to remove the clot or repair the blood vessels. However, in certain cases particularly if the bleeding is small or not easy to access, we manage conservatively and allow the blood to resorb the clot. Other medications used include blood thinners like aspirin and cholesterol lowering tablets which decrease the risk of subsequent strokes.
The 15 chapters present a great variety of cases to drive the point that looted African heritage was not only masks or carved doors torn from palaces. It was also, for example:
• the “treasure of Samori Touré”, or crates containing his saddle, sabre, war bonnet, battle axe, necklaces, rings, amulets, skulls of his soldiers, and gold taken to Paris
only required violence, but also that Africans, contrary to colonial ideology, Africans gave great value to their heritage
A 2024 book, Fifteen Colonial Thefts: A Guide to Looted African Heritage in Museums, adds to the growing literature on the history of the colonial looting of African art and heritage and the issue of restitution, reappropriation and return. Published by Pluto, the book is edited by Ghanaian-born multidisciplinary artist Sela K. Adjei and Berlin-based postdoctoral researcher Yann Le Gall.
It opens with a powerful foreword by Peju Layiwola, art historian, visual artist and professor of art and art history at the University of Lagos. Then follow 33 African and Afro diasporic authors — historians, curators, artists and activists. They describe in great detail the political, symbolic and cultural meaning of what they refuse to call “objects”. They chronicle the conditions of their looting, their fate in western institutions or in private collections, the efforts needed to excavate them from erasure and obliteration, and the questions that the repatriation of each case raises. Reading each chapter is to penetrate the perverse world of colonial collecting. It is to be made aware of the lies, the arrogant ignorance, the imbecilic certainty of the colonial officer, the collector, the explorer. Each demonstrates that colonisation was about the humiliation and degradation of the human spirit. Looting art in times of wars was
Therefore, all the authors argue, time is needed to unpack what colonialism has obscured and what Eurocentrism has ignored. Fifteen Colonial Thefts should be required reading for anyone who wishes to participate in any conversation about the looting of the African continent. It is a powerful argument for including African experts and communities in the process of re-appropriation. It is rigorously researched and does not focus on exemplary cases like the Benin Bronzes. More importantly, it conveys the perspectives of descendants of the dispossessed.
The idea of asking African artists to illustrate the book rather than using colonial imagery is brilliant. Integrating QR codes through the texts allows the reader to learn more about a personality or an event. This opens a space of conversation between different sources of knowledge.
The book sets an example for publishing on systemic violence, looting, silencing and reparation. Looting and collecting
• a German cartridge upcycled as a snuff box, embodying Chagga resistance in Tanzania
• the fate of Sudanese Mahdi banners, which expressed adherence to a group and were evidence of a society that prized literacy
• the public hanging by Belgian colonials of the chief of the city of Boma in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The authors restore all the dimensions of the 15 colonial thefts, acknowledging that the term “object” strips collections of their humanity and spiritual essence.
The editors quote Heinrich Umlauff, director of Berlin Ethnographic Museum and German art dealership J.F.G. Umlauff, who wrote in 1914 that “Africans are very attached to their things and especially to old, inherited family pieces … Only in time of war or in the case of great expeditions are conditions more favorable, when power exerts a certain pressure.”
This further demonstrates that taking “things” from Africans not
By stealing and appropriating spiritual and political symbols, by burning palaces, libraries and temples and organising disgraceful public ceremonies of surrender, European colonising powers sought to erase any sign of cultural, social and spiritual life.
African cosmologies and knowledges were ignored.
Repatriation, returns, reappropriation
Looting of African heritage: a powerful new book explores the damage done by colonial theft not new. What made European colonial looting distinctive, though, was that the loot filled a specific institution, the museum. Colonial plunder filled European museums. So much so that their staff are still unable to describe exactly what is in their collections. The diversity and the scale of looting attest to the greed of European colonisers who were not content with stealing ten sacred drums or one hundred bows but thousands of them. They grabbed everything — talismanic shirts, weapons, jewellery, statues, arrows, symbols of power.
This guide is an invaluable addition to the conversation on repatriation of African art and heritage that has been going on for decades. Its urgency was reaffirmed by the 2018 report commissioned by Emmanuel Macron, president of France, which details the systemic plunder of African art, the early demands for restitution and the defensive reflex of European museums. Its authors called for a “new relational ethics”.
Repatriation is no longer a marginalised topic, but it is still reaping few rewards. The obstacles are numerous: the museums’ reticence; the Africans’ difficulty in getting visas to visit Europe; the cost of research; the legal barriers (African heritage has become museum property); the conditions imposed for return.
To the authors of Fifteen Colonial Thefts, repatriation goes further than challenging Eurocentric narratives and rewriting African history. It is a long process that must be done with the communities who demand the return of their heritage. TheConversation.
Most commonly a stroke affects the face, arm and leg. They may be drooping of the face on the affected side, and the person may be unable to smile or close their eye. They may be weakness and numbness of the affected arm and leg. Speech is often involved, and patients may have slurred speech.
In some instances, they are unable to talk despite looking awake or are unable to comprehend what is being said to them. Other less common symptoms of a stroke include vision loss, double vision, loss of sensation on one side, vertigo and sudden decrease in level of consciousness.
The management of stroke depends on the type of stroke as well as the capability of the center. In the acute setting patients showing signs and symptoms of a stroke should have a CT scan of the brain to determine the type of stroke they are having. In highly specialized centers, ischemic stroke patients who present within 4 and a half hours can receive clot bursting medication or undergo procedures to retrieve the clot from the vessel.
This has been shown to have better outcomes, the only downside being it’s not a service that’s widely available. Patients with haemor-
The management of stroke is best done by a multi-disciplinary team including the physicians, neurologists, dietician, speech therapist, physiotherapy and occupational therapist. This rehabilitation can often take a lot and in some case, they may not be complete recovery. In the acute phase, swallowing may be impaired, hence a tube can be passed via the nose into the stomach for feeding. The physiotherapist assists with regaining of power and mobility while the speech therapist does some exercises to alleviate speech impairment.
It is important to recognize symptoms of a stroke early and seek medical treatment. The symptoms of stroke can be easily remembered by using the acronym FAST, for Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time. It is also important to manage the risks of stroke and for those already with a prior diagnosis of stroke to be on the right medication to reduce the chances of future strokes.
By Dr Bernard Morapedi Specialist Physician
MBChB (UP), Dip HIV MAN (SA), MMED (Internal Medicine), FCP (SA).
Based at Doctors INN health center and Maun Private Hospital. drbernard.morapedi@ gmail.com 75170521
NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS
All employment advertise worldwide distribution, FREE OF CHARGE. Personal notices for Births, Deaths, Engagements and Marriages are carried free of charge.
PUBLIC NOTICE
I Dimpho Abraham owner of plot located at Sedie, I am intending to do change of land use from residential to multi residential. Whoever has an objection regarding the proposal should forward it to
Rock Safaris is a leading provider of safari adventures and guided tours, specializing in unique experiences. As we expand our services, we’re looking for a passionate, experienced individual to join our team as a German- speaking translator and Administration Officer based in Maun
Key Responsibilities:
Translating on tours, Overseeing tour preparation, Engagement
Administrative Duties, Client Support and Coordination
Qualifications:
Fluency in both German and English is essential Proven experience as a tour guide/translator preferably in southern African countries, and/or administrative roles in a similar setting. Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage and connect with diverse groups of people. Excellent administrative and multitasking abilities to manage bookings, schedules, and customer records efficiently. First aid certification and knowledge of safety practices in outdoor activities are highly desirable. A valid driver’s license is required.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should send their CV and a cover letter detailing their experience and why they are the perfect fit for Rock Safaris to: rocksafarisbotswana@gmail.com.
Application Deadline: 20 September 2024
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ENTER INTO A CONTROLLED TRANSACTION IN TERMS OF THE TRIBAL LAND ACT, 2018
This notice is issued in compliance to the provisions of the Tribal Land Act of 2018, Section 34, subsection (1) (a) to (e) and the transactions involves the property in Tribal Land in respect of the undermentioned property namely;
CERTAIN;Piece of land being Tribal Lot 43029 Maun; SITUATE;At Maun Village in Batawana Tribal Territory; MEASURING;3.9727Ha(Three Decimal Nine Seven Two Seven Hectares)
HELD UNDER: Memorandum of Agreement of Lease No. FT TL 159/2016 dated the 1st day March 2016 entered into between TAWANA LAND BOARD and ONTLAMETSE K MOYUNDA; CONSIDERATION; P400 000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Pula); SUBJECT; to the terms and conditions of the Agreement of Grant of Lease for Residential Plots of Offer to Purchase, which may be inspected at the offices of Lecha & Associates Attorneys, Laha Centre, Old Mall, Maun; SELLER; ONTLAMETSE K. MOYUNDA
PURCHASER; DUNG BEETLE LOGISTICS (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED
BE PLEASED TO TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that:
(a)Any Botswana citizen interested in interested into a similar transaction in respect of the above property shall be given priority notwithstanding the agreement reached by the abovenamed parties regarding the controlled transaction;
(b)Should any person wish to object to the proposed controlled transaction, notice of the objection with reasons thereof should be addressed to the Tawana Land Board, with copies to the undersigned (Lecha & Associates Attorneys) within 30 days from the date of publication hereof
DATED AT MAUN THIS 22ND DAY OF AUGUST 2024
LECHA & ASSOCIATES Laha Centre Old Mall Extension P.O.Box 21532 Maun
North West District Council, Physical Planning Office at telephone no.687 0307 or in writing within fourteen (14) days of publication of this notice (1183)
Notice to neighbours of Truesea Technologies (Pty) Ltd of plot 33811 in Disaneng ward in Maun are informed that the owner of the aforesaid plot wishes to chage the use of the said plot from single family residential to a multi family residential. Owners of the aforesaid neighbouring plot are thus consuletd for approval/non approval of this notice. Neighbours may con-
tact Maun Physical Planning Office if they disapprove this change within 21 days (1183) EMPLOYMENT
Maun Private Hospital invites candidates for the following posts: General practitioner, General Surgeon, Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Registered/ General nurses, Registered Nurse Midwife, Nurse Anaetshetists, Anesthesiologist, Ent Surgeon, Radiologist, Theatre Nurses. All applicants should be registered with the Botswana Health Professions Council closing date: 13th september 2024. Applications should be forwarded to admin@maun-
Pony Transport (Botswana) Pty Ltd
Private Bag 093, Maun, Botswana -- Tel: 6860618
EMAIL- office@ponytransportbotswana.com
Pony Transport Maun is looking for an experienced extra heavy duty driver.
Applicants must be of sober habits, self-motivated, disciplined, traceable reference with clean Botswana issued licenses. Minimum of 8 years Delta/water experience,Applicants must hold current license’s for the following, forklift, crane, rigging, hazardous.
Applicants must have sound mechanical knowledge, not afraid of hard work and long hours.
If you think you are tough enough Please apply by email to:office@ponytransportbotswana.com.
privatehospital.co.bw. Only shortlisted candidates will be responded to. no hand deliveries allowed (1183) Delta Geomatics (Pty) Ltd has a vacancy for a position of a registered land surveyor. Interested applicants must be registered as per the Land Surveyoy Act of Botswana and have aminimum of 10 years experience. Apply by sending a CV certified copies of registration and academic certificates to deltageomaticsbw@ gmail.com (1183) Onteekeal Investments (Pty) Ltd has a vacancy for a position of a registered land surveyor. Interesterd applicants must be registered as per the Land Survey Act of Botswana and have a minimum of 10 years experience. Apply by sending a CV certified copies of registration certificate and academic certificates to onteekealinvestments@gmail. com (1183)
2 herdboys and 2 herdgirls needed for lemcke Ranches. Apply to ; Lemcke Ranches, P O Box 28Ghanzi. Contact : 73020688 Ms Charity Nkelekang. Closing Date : 08/09/24 (1183)
Looking for 2 farm labourers to work at Xiri farm lands at Sepopa Village in the Okavango District, Apply to P O Box 21433,Maun Boseja. Contact Ogaufi Khaneguba at 71801241/75358590 (1183/1184) Farm worker wanted at the cattle post situated at Semboyo. Contact Mr Gaokgakala Castro Letswee of P O Box 1237 Maun (1183)
EXECUTIVE MAUN HOUSE FOR SALE ON THE RIVER 600M FROM THE TAR ROAD IN SEDIE
This property is also suitable for a restaurant or guest house. Three bedrooms in the main house and two more at the garage. Two lounges the one upstairs can accommodate up to 40 people. Borehole, swimming pool walled with sliding gate. Outside building with two rooms.
Registered in the name of a non-trading company whereby ownership will change by the transfer of shares.
Enquiries to ecowild@ngami.net Asking price P3.5m negotiable
By Bhekinkosi Phiri
The Botswana Rugby Union (BRU) is setting a clear path for the advancement of rugby in Botswana and Africa, following its participation at the 2024 World Rugby Growth Conference held in Kigali, Rwanda, last week. The conference, which brought together 15 rugby unions from various African nations, served as a significant platform for collaboration and strategic planning.
BRU Secretary General Osi Kopano has shared some critical insights from the conference, emphasising the need for the BRU to develop a comprehensive strategic and operational plans, along with a robust working constitution.
“It’s essential that we define roles for all members and stakeholders involved with the Union,” Kopano stated. He also highlighted the im-
portance of utilising analytical tools like PESTEL and SWOT analysis to refine the BRU’s operations and strategies.
Kopano outlined the Union’s immediate priorities: “Strategic planning in these areas is crucial if we are committed to growth.” The BRU is determined to implement these initiatives to ensure sustainable development in rugby across Botswana.
The conference also provided an invaluable opportunity for the BRU to strengthen relationships with other rugby unions. Kopano remarked, “Face-to-face meetings like this allow World Rugby and Rugby Africa to truly connect with the people behind the emails.” He expressed optimism about building stronger ties with unions from Namibia, Eswatini, and Zambia, with plans for increased tournaments and collaborations
starting in 2025, particularly at the age-grade level.
Looking ahead, Kopano highlighted the BRU’s ambitious goals, including a focus on youth development and increasing women’s participation in rugby. He revealed that the BRU is aiming to host the Under-18 Junior Sevens Continental Tournament for both boys and girls, which could serve as a Junior Olympic qualifier for Senegal in 2026. However, Kopano acknowledged that implementing these strategies will not be without challenges. “Our biggest obstacle will always be ourselves. We need to dream bigger for the future players and get more women involved, especially in leadership roles,” he said. Despite the challenges, he sees potential in Botswana’s reputation for democracy and safety, which makes it an appealing destination for international
tournaments and conferences.
“The tourism benefits of hosting such events cannot be overlooked,” he added.
Finally, Kopano reiterated the BRU’s commitment to the
growth of rugby across Africa: “As part of a continent that significantly contributes to World Rugby, anything positive we do have a global ripple effect.” The BRU re-
By Kgosietsile Bontsi
Challenges with preparations that were faced by the Botswana Team to the World Athletics Under 20 championships are said to have hampered its performance at international meet held in Lima Peru last week.
The team manager Isaac Mbise has said that lack of preparations due to lack of funds affected their performance at the championships, where the team failed to bring home any medal.
This is as the team that was made up of 12 athletes of six male and six female athletes,
From page 16
Public Relations Officer Thato Maphorisa said he was satisfied with the performance of the team taking into consideration that they did not prepare well for the competition.
‘‘I would want to say we did not perform well but rather say other countries came prepared more than us, we did well with the performance we executed, if it was 2022 we would have still emerged champions, just that teams tripled their game whereas we did not,” he said.
Maphorisa lamented that they arrived late in Eswatini, and their players did not get enough rest before the commencement of the games. This as they faced budgetary constraints to afford proper camp.
He however indicated that the players were key in ensuring that the team travels to Eswatini and compete by contribut-
ing money for the trip.
Team Botswana’s silver medal was secured by Malebogo Chidubi and Boipelo Masimele under the Ladies pair category. The bronze medals were awarded to Shimanyana Lebakeng and Ompaletse Siane under the Veterans pair category while Marius Poloka and Lame Poloka also won bronze under Youth pair category.
Another Youth pair made up of Thatayotlhe Robert and Laone Kereteletswe also won a bronze medal, Marius Poloka and Thatayotlhe Robert have repeatedly secured bronze medals under the Youth singles boys while Lame Poloka won bronze medal under the Youth girls category. The youth, ladies and veteran teams also received bronze medals. Keneilwe Kabanna managed to earn the second position under the Masters challenge and open Singles.
has not brought home any medal from the World Athletics U20 Championships.
Mbise has told Times Sports that their training camp was limited to only 10 days which they could afford through funds from Debswana.
He lamented that they also encountered challenges of injuries and acclimatisation to the environment where the competitions were held, However, Mbise has stated that the team performed well in the 400m relay men and 4x400m relay as in the 400m Kamevu proceeded to the semi-finals with a time of
46.69. Mbise has stated that the 4X400 men’s relay went through to the finals being the third Botswana team at a World Junior Championship, but were disqualified for lane infringement.
“The performance of the team was satisfactory because the situation which the team went through, our competitions started in February and ended in May so athletes didn’t have enough time to prove themselves,” he said. According to Mbise their target was to win two medals from the competition in the 400m through Kamevu and in
the 4x400 men’s relay. Mbise has commended Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) board for finding it fit to send the whole team to the World Championships in six boys, six girls for 4x400m mixed relay, 4x100m women’s relay and 4x400m men’s relay. He also emphasised the importance of the championships indicating that they give athletes global exposure as they market them internationally.
The male athletics team consisted of Ernest Kamevu (200m,400m, 4 x400m), Thabang Monngathipa (400m,400m), Keorapetse Oreokame (400m, 4x400m), Seleka Lefatshe (400m,4x400m,4x400m mixed), Justice Oratile (4x400m, 4x400m mixed) and Fredrick Mathathi (4x400m and 4x400m mixed).
The female athletics team consisted of Sethunya Majama (200m, 4x100m), Same Mhutsiwa (4x100m), Kelebonye Otela (4x100m), Ame Bogoma (4x100m,4x400m mixed), Warona Thonisani (4x100m, 4x400m mixed) and Wedu Matiwe (4x100m and 4x400m mixed).
By Kgosietsile Bontsi
The Botswana Darts National team has won 10 medals, bringing home one silver
medal and nine bronze medals from the Region V games that were held in Matshapa, Eswatini last week.
The team took part under dif-
ferent categories that included the Under 25, senior (men and women and Veterans. Among the seven Southern African countries that participated
at the competition, Botswana took position four with 142 points. South Africa became the champions with 211 points followed by Zimbabwe
with 197 points while Namibia took position three with 150 points. Eswatini took position five with 121 points, Malawi got sixth position with 47
points while Zambia finished last without a point. In an interview, Botswana Darts Association (BODA)
Continue to page 11
