25 Aug 2014

A South African prominent businessman recently donated 500 bags of cement to Botswana Association for the Blind and Partially Sighted (BAPS).

The donation, which was received by the President of the Customary Court of Appeal (South) Kgosi Mothibe Lenchwe in Gaborone came at a time when the association was struggling to construct its headquarters at Kopong.

The association recently received a donation of a porta cabin from Orange Botswana to operate from but it was not spacious enough.

The business magnate, Mr Malakia Maseko, also sponsored a young and promising South African upcoming gospel artist by the name of Koliwe Mpaneng, who is due to launch her album in Botswana on September 6.

Meanwhile Mr Maseko, who runs Chande Transport, Tour and Enterprise in Lichtenburg in South Africa, also donated 50 bags of cement to The Lambs Followers Apostle’s Church in Mogoditshane, who were also embarking on construction of their church branch, and another 50 bags to the PHK Childhood Trust.

According to Mr Maseko, the intention was to donate the proceeds of the album launch, but he later changed and opted to make the donation before the launch, as a sign that he was not here just to milk Batswana and disappear into thin air.

Mr Maseko said as a businessman, who feared God, he did not see any reason why he should not assist where he could, stating that he was spiritually touched when he saw members of BAPS embarking on a litter picking campaign on June 27 on a Botswana Television news bulletin.

This struck his attention and he immediately called his local agent, Mr Pagson Ntsie, who managed Koliwe, to arrange for the extension of a helping hand to them because while some people who had sight were discarding litter indiscriminately, they were in turn picking it up for safe disposal.

Various speakers at this occasion included the patron of BAPS, Mr Taolo Moshaga who described the donation as historical. He applauded Maseko as a man of action and true to his word. Kgosi Mothibe was optimistic that the donation will be used accordingly, particularly that it was intended for a good cause.

For her part, BAPS women’s wings chairperson, Mrs Boikhutso Bojang said she was happy with the donation. She however said it was depressing to learn that though people with sight challenges are multi-talented, their talents are not unearthed and nurtured.

Mrs Bojang, who is a teacher by profession, lost sight in 2005, but through this association which was formed in 1999, she has been able to obtain a Master’s Degree. Ends