29 May 2016

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Slumber Tsogwane, has advised pressure groups to consult people in order to represent their true interests.

Mr Tsogwane said when addressing a kgotla meeting at Khwai in the North West District on May that government recognised all tribes as equals. 

Therefore, he said all tribes constituting this country were indigenous. 

The minister who recently attended a Permanent Forum on Indigenous People in USA said he met a group from Botswana called Khwaedom Council claiming to represent indigenous people in Botswana attending the same forum.

“We have many of these groups, but it was important for them to come and consult you to represent your interests in the best possible manner, said Mr Tsogwane.

However, the minister noted that government recognised marginalised tribes and those who were staying in remote areas hence constantly bringing development to these people.

He said as a way of enforcing court orders, government would continue assisting the people in the Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve with social protection programmes that included food hampers, water, and health, amongst others.

On other issues, Mr Tsogwane told the people of Khwai that his ministry was in the process of developing guidelines of naming streets, roads and public facilities to include the community in the process. 

This, he said would minimise complaints. 

He explained that the move would also create uniformity of procedures, processes and parameters to consider when naming such, adding that this would further facilitate the time taken by local authorities to name facilities.

To date, said the minister, procedure for naming such facilities was that local authorities engaged and consulted stakeholders such as village development committees, village elders, traditional authorities, communities and other local structures to come up with proposed names.

“The names are then presented before full council meeting for vetting before they are submitted to the minister for approval,” said Mr Tsogwane.

He said there had been some contentions as to the appropriateness of some suggested names citing Ditimamodimo in Gaborone as an example.

On the improved sustenance guidelines, the minister explained to the packed kgotla that the objective of the sustenance initiative was to improve productivity of beneficiaries and promote local economic empowerment of the communities where Ipelegeng projects were implemented.

He said beneficiaries were provided with a simple snack at a rate to be determined by the government from time to time per a person per day. 

Currently, he said the rate stood at P8 per day.

Amendments made to the previous draft regarding this issue, according to the minister were that sustenance suppliers would be engaged on a three month contracts on rotational basis and the selected supplier would sign an agreement with the council. Ends