26 Aug 2014

The support Batswana give to fellow citizens is appreciated, says the Minister of Infrastructure, Science and Technology, Mr Johnnie Swartz.

Speaking during the handing over of the refurbished Bangwato Royal cemetery on August 25, Minister Swartz said such developments helped the country to develop.

The project was undertaken by the Serowe Department of Buildings, Engineering Services (DBES) through community service following a request from the royal family to attend to some falling tiles on the late president, Sir Seretse Khama’s statue. They also repaired the cemetery gates, rails and wall stones leading to the cemetery.

Minister Swartz said the DBES staff effort was in line with the presidential appeal to extend a helping hand to communities and also with Vision 2016 pillars.

He said such a project was not the first community service project his ministry had undertaken, adding that in 2011, they built a house to a needy family.  The ministry, he said, also built a double storey classroom for the Botswana Nurses Society in Tlokweng and in Mahalapye, a house for a needy family was provided.

Mr Swartz said the Bobonong Depot together with their colleagues removed grass in the graveyards and decorated the entire graveyards. He said they even requested for the artificial turf that remained from the Serowe Sports Complex project and the contractor, who was kind enough, gave it to them and they decorated the area around the statue.

The minister said he was very proud of his staff especially the Serowe Depot for always making them proud in all development projects undertaken in the past.

For his part, Kgosi Kebailele Dikgakgamatso applauded Serowe DBES for the job well done, adding that they have not only refurbished the royal cemetery but have revived the Bangwato culture. Ends