22 Mar 2016

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has assured  Khumaga residents that government would water their livestock from the river or other water sources following  erection of   human-wildlife coexistence fence along Boteti river.

Addressing a kgotla meeting at the village on Monday March 21, President Khama said he was surprised  that there were still fears that livestock would be deprived water after the fence erection.

“If you did not know that they will be water reticulation for your livestock then today you heard it from me” the President stated.

The village development committee chairperson, Ms Keinee Nakwela, had earlier expressed concern that their livestock would be deprived water after construction of the fence and that the park in their area only benefitted North West region.  

President Lt Gen. Dr Khama said Khumaga benefitted from Makgadikgadi Pans National Park  through job creation and tourism. 

He stated that two lodges in the park being, Leroo la Tau and Meno a Kwena hired locals.

President  Khama said after construction of the fence, the community would be given two camp sites and they would be hired to look after the fence.

In other things, President Khama donated  chairs to the kgotla, Biblesas as well as blankets to the elderly and less privileged. 

Minister of Agriculture, Mr Patrick Ralotsia, reiterated that water would be reticulated for livestock, adding that construction of the fence should be done quickly because European meat market delegation that came to Botswana for inspection recently were worried about the fence.

Mr  Ralotsia said any impediments  to the process of constructing of the fence should be eliminated as the fence would  save the beef industry.

Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama shared sentiments that European meat market delegation that came for inspection was worried about the fence. 

The fencing, he said, would be constructed 50 meters from the river, meaning that people within the range would have to be relocated 

He said the current state of the  fence was not only a threat to beef industry but  aggravated compensation claims  saying that his ministry had received many of such claims from the area citing that they  received  169 for lions, 59 for elephants and 24 for leopards.

He said already there were no funds in the compensation vote at his ministry. 

Deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Mr Felix Monggae, said technical committee to assess who would be affected and the cost of compensation when erecting the fence was ongoing and team had already covered 43 km.

Mr Monggae said they would be gates along the fence to enable those with fishing permits or any authorized entry to access the river.

One of the residents, Mr Tiaan Theron, described construction of the fence as a welcome development and should be supported, adding that it would transform Khumaga into a destination of tourism of the level of Kasane region. Ends