02 Jul 2014

Department of Forestry and Range Resources official, Ms Budzanani Nsonso, has allayed Southern District councillor’s fears that Germany has patented rights on Sengaparile.

Ms Nsonso said this when briefing a Southern District full Council (SDC) meeting on the three flora national symbols of Morula, Sengaparile and Motshikiri in Kanye recently.

The symbols were launched together with the fauna symbol of Kgori by the Ministry of Environment Wildlife and Tourism on May 12 in Gaborone.

She noted that Sengaparile was indigenous in Southern Africa and that Germany had been purchasing it from the region including Botswana over the years. Her comments were prompted by Ntsweng West councillor, Mr Patrick Ralotsia, who wanted clarification on the matter.

Clarifying the issue, Ms Nsonso said Germany had in the past tabled a motion to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) citing that Sengaparile was in danger of extinction because of the way it was harvested in countries such as South Africa.

“We have written a report to CITES to explain the position of Botswana on the matter because here in Botswana Sengaparile grows buy itself in the veldt and therefore not under any threat,” she said.

In addition, she stated that the veldt products regulations of 2006 were in place to ensure conservative harvesting of the plant.

On the flora national symbols, Ms Nsonso said her department had engaged Botswana Postal Services to have them engraved on stamps and that such stamps should be out by November this year.

She also emphasised the socio-economic benefits of Sengaparile, otherwise known as the Devil’s claw saying the plant had been used as a remedy for various ailments over centuries.

Commenting, councillors felt more needed to be done in terms of exposing the national symbols the same way the Zebra has been exposed.

Councillor for Pitseng, Mr Abram Dibeela suggested that the same feat should therefore be given to the symbols by naming some of the sporting codes after them.

“Zebra stand out because of the national football team, so these symbols should also follow suite,” he said suggesting for example that Sengaparile would be an ideal name for the national boxing team and Motshikiri for the ever green athletics team. Ends