03 Feb 2016

Once the process of forming syndicates, applying for land rights and allocation by the Letlhakane Sub-land board is complete, the communities of Mokubilo and Metsiaela will have boreholes delivered to them.

The Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele, said this in response to a question in Parliament on Tuesday.

Mr Makgalemele said he was aware that following President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama’s meetings in Mokubilo and Letlhakane’s Metsiaela/Buuhe ward, a team comprising officers from the Ministry of Agriculture went to investigate the possibility to use two boreholes in Mokubilo and one in Metsiaela for livestock.

“The findings were that one of the Mokubilo boreholes did not have sufficient water while the one in Metsiaela had been vandalised to an extent that it could not be rehabilitated for any use.  However, the Metsiaela community was assisted to constitute a syndicate which submitted an application, in October 2015, to the land board for land rights to drill an alternative borehole adjacent to the old one,” he said.

Mr Makgalemele stated that Letlhakane Sub-land Board is scheduled to meet on February 16 to consider the Metsiaela application, among others.

“Regarding the second borehole in Mokubilo, there were delays in its consideration due to ownership claims by members of the Matsitama community.  When the claims were ultimately nullified it turned out that the borehole had been vandalised the same way as that of Metsiaela,” Mr Makgalemele said.

He further said the Ministry of Agriculture was assisting the Mokubilo community to form a syndicate of people with cattle not exceeding 15.

The syndicate would apply for land rights after which drilling assistance will be sought under ISPAAD/LIMID for a relief or alternative borehole near the vandalised one.

“It follows therefore that the boreholes will be delivered to the communities as promised by the President soon after the process of forming syndicates, applying for land rights and allocation by land board is complete,” Mr Makgalemele said.

He committed to ensuring that the communities of Mokubilo and Metsiaela are accordingly informed before the end of February.

Mr Makgalemele was answering a question from the Member of Parliament for Boteti East, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe, who had asked the minister if he is aware of any delegation that was formed by the President at his last meeting in Mokubilo and Metsiaela Buuhe ward in Letlhakane respectively, to look for a borehole or water point to be drilled and equipped by government for livestock watering under the poverty eradication programme.

Mr Lelatisitswe also sought to know when the borehole would be delivered to the concerned communities as promised by the President, and when feedback meetings would be held with the communities to deliver updates on the matter. ENDS