07 Mar 2016

Kgosi Mosadi of Balete says Mogobane Irrigation Scheme is a property of Balete tribe under the care of GaMalete Development Trust. 

 As such, opportunities available at the Irrigation Scheme are for the whole of Balete in the whole tribal territory. 

 Kgosi Mosadi said this during a recent South East District full council session following an outcry from Mogobane councillor, Mr Dilo Abram that the Trust side lines Mogobane residents. 

 Councillor Abram said there was an outcry from the village as villagers felt that the Trust by passed the village and took decisions that affect people without consulting them. 

He faulted the trust for having engaged in a project of such huge magnitude without crafting a business plan first. 

 In addition, he said the community does not understand how members of the Trust are elected and who elects them. 

Councillor Abram accused the trust of lacking transparency adding that the Mogobane community is excluded in the project yet it is the same community which asked the Rural Development Council chairperson, the then Vice President Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe to help revive the Mogobane Irrigation Scheme. 

 In her comments, Kgosi Mosadi asked the council to support the project to ensure that Mogobane Irrigation Scheme becomes successful. 

 Kgosi Mosadi said bogosi as the custodians of the tribe have the interest of the tribe at heart adding that neither the trust nor the Mogobane dam belongs to any village. 

She said the Trust comprises of 16 members of which each and every village in the tribal territory is represented. 

 She said the project was initiated with a project memo hence the crafting of the business plan is underway. 

Kgosi Mosadi added that the trust has employed 17 people, which comprises labourers who were recruited within GaMalete. 

She added that the trust has so far spent about P4 million of the P10 million which the government has given the trust to revive the Irrigation Scheme. 

Further, Kgosi Mosadi said she has long invited councillor Abram to his office to discuss their difference over the Irrigation Scheme but the councillor has not shown up. 

GaMalete Development Trust chairperson Mr Lawrence Magosi said the irrigation scheme has by far managed to sell tomatoes, green paper and maize. Ends