Africa-Press – Botswana. There were not enough chairs for everyone. To opine that organisers could have underestimated the numbers may not be a far-fetched conclusion.
Even after the arrival of the President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi at the kgotla, the numbers kept swelling as residents surged in.
Some stood under the scorching sun while others tried, some successfully while others in vain, to squeeze into the two military tents provided to augment shades from the trees and kgotla shelter.
They all convened to carry home solutions to the general challenges dogging a village affectionately called Mahalapye Diponeng.
Owing to a short supply of chairs for latecomers found themselves switching from sitting on the block-paved kgotla floor and standing as the sun dipped in and out of the clouds.
Clearly, residents came in droves to chiefly for some addresses on their trouble-beleaguered bus rank.
The mention of the issue by the village development committee chairperson stroke the right chord amongst the residents who shouted and clapped in consonance.
Also on the list of the troublesome issues was a package of the old and unfriendly internal roads together with malfunctioning streets lights that render ‘Mahalapye diponeng’ a mockery.
Crime in general was also a factor. The umbrella VDC chairperson, Mr Boniface Disho elaborated that crime in the village was shooting sky-high, compounded by malfunctioning streets lights.
In his response, the Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi said that the police would deploy permanently a special support group, a special unit of the police, to help quell if not eradicate crime in Mahalapye.
The SSG have been servicing Mahalapye from Palapye station. Already accommodation for the officers has been secured. The officers are expected to report in Mahalapye in two months, the minister said.
Mr Mmusi also reported that the KgomoKhumo unit of police would soon become permanent with chief aim of combating livestock theft which reportedly, impoverish farmers.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse agreed that of the 600 streets lights, 241 were non-functional due to several factors as failure to replace bulbs and theft of electric cables. To the latter, the minister called for joint forces to curb theft and vandalism.
Mr Autlwetse also informed the residents that a plot for Mahalapye bus rank had been secured and it was a matter of time before works begun.
But first, government has to source funds for the project. In the meantime, the old troublesome rank, ‘hopefully’ will be ready for use with the hope that the rains do not exhume the buried problems and see it sinking again.
With the above interventions in place, residents were hopeful that the longstanding challenges bedeviling their village would be buried forever.
Mahalapye West MP, Mr David Tshere said that together with the community he was happy that the issue of bus rank would be sorted. Again, Mr Tshere expressed gratitude at the fire station expected to be built in Mahalapye before end of next year.
The MP said that the Transitional National Development Plan would see Mahalapye benefiting over P200m for amongst other things, construction of a tarred road to Tewane from A1 road, truck stop and storm water drainage system.
The VDC chairperson expressed happiness that there would be an extra P5m for Mahalapye internal roads, in addition to the P20 million (P10 million per constituency).
“We expect results in a very short time,” said umbrella VDC chairman who added that he was happy at the efforts to curb crime in the village.
“We expect crime to take some significant nosedive in a very short time,” he added.
A 25 year-old, Mr Tuelo Segakolodi takes every word said at the kgotla quite seriously and is highly expectant of change.
“Even though young people did not get enough time to talk, I believe there lies a better future ahead for the youth,” said Mr Segakolodi who said he liked the mention of bringing SSG office in Mahalapye.
He said the law-abiding citizens lived in constant fear of the criminals.
For the 40 year-old, Ms Kago Otshabeng explaining the new programmes as Temo-Letlotlo was beneficial to the community.
“We will have to put it to use, to benefit ourselves especially that we have been ignorant about this new programme,” said Ms Otshabeng of Temo-Letlotlo.
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