03 Aug 2014

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama has commended residents of Sekakangwe, Mbalambi and Kalakamati for having constructed a hostel block at Maenjani Junior Secondary School.

Describing the development as noble, President Khama said it was indeed commendable that instead of only looking up to government to address the need for boarding facilities at the school, the residents of the three villages, whose primary schools feed the junior secondary school, had taken it upon themselves to play an active role in addressing the situation.

Lt Gen. Khama, who was speaking during a series of kgotla meetings in the three villages last Thursday (July 31), further praised the residents for having raised funds amounting to P69 000 towards the project.

He assured them that government would find ways of assisting them to complete the project, whose importance could not be over-emphasised.

On a different matter, President Khama stated that until the effects of the economic downturn of the recent years wore off, government would not be able to construct some of the key roads of the North East District.

He explained that once the economic situation improved, the request for the construction of Kalakamati/Zwenshambe and Masunga/Tshesebe roads would be looked into. Lt Gen. Khama highlighted that procedure would be followed, taking into consideration such issues as traffic density on both roads.

Responding to the issue on the need for boarding facilities at Maenjani, the acting Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said ministry officials would this week go to the school to assess the need for such facilities. Such a move, Minister Masisi said, would give the ministry direction as to whether or not to include the construction of the hostels in the budget for the next financial year.

Briefing the President, Sekakangwe Village Development Committee (VDC) chairperson, Mr Herbert Mathumo stated that students from the neighbouring villages of Mbalambi and Kalakamati walked long distances to and from school daily, something which he said put them at risk of being attacked by criminals.

Mr Mathumo had also suggested that to address the situation, residents of the three villages constructed a hostel block and pleaded with government to help them complete the project.

In a different matter, he thanked government for, among others; the electrification of Sekakangwe kgotla shelter as well as the rolling out of the Poverty Eradication programme to their village. He also thanked government for its concern for the health of the people of Sekakangwe, which he said was evidenced by the recent posting of a medical doctor to the village.

In Kalakamati, the VDC chairperson, Mr Shandukani Oitsile commended government for connecting electricity to the village’s primary school. Mr Oitsile also lauded government for the maintenance of the road linking Sebina and Ramokgwebana, via Kalakamati.

On another issue, he requested government to help the Kalakamati community in its endeavour to construct a building to be used as a post office. He said so far they had raised P17 600 towards the project, but needed help as the funds were insufficient.

During the visits to the three villages, President Khama donated blankets to the village leaders for distribution to deserving individuals. ENDS