03 Jul 2013

Kgalagadi is a desert endowed with abundance of gems, Kgalagadi District Council chairman, Frans van der Westhuizen has said.

Officially opening the full council meeting, July 2, Mr van der Westhuizen said the district had managed to produce two beauty queens in Karabo Sampson, who was crowned Miss Botswana in 2011 and Rosemary Keofitlhetse who was also decorated with the same gown in 2013.

Mr Van der Westhuizen was optimistic that Kgalagadi would also scoop the upcoming Miss Ethnicity Botswana crown billed for Gaborone in November. “I am quite confident that the winner will come from our district,” he said.

The RADP beauty pageant is a project of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development aimed at promoting and branding affirmative action plan to preserve culture, increase participation of young women from remote areas as well as build their self-esteem. The chairman said that the district was also excelling in the performing arts, sports and culture.

“Every year during the President’s Day competition our district always scoops first and second positions with its rich cultural music and dance,” he said adding tsutsube and polka dances were in demand in every corner of Botswana.

He argued that the region was a true epitome of traditional culture of Botswana as evidenced by their superior handicrafts inter alia. Van der Westhuizen also said Kgalagadi District was one of the districts that pride with diverse culture from different ethnic groups which co-exist in the region.

“Despite these notable ethnic differences and the different language dialects that each of these ethnic groups speak, we have continued to harmoniously live together side by side,” he observed. Ends