31 May 2016

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Slumber Tsogwane has implored Malatswai residents to take pride in their culture as the country gears towards celebrating 50 years of independence in September.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Malatswai recently, Mr Tsogwane said Batswana should impart their culture to their children and continue to communicate and enjoy their native languages.

He conceded that despite the country and the president calling for resuscitation of culture and its aspects, time for teaching pupils in mother tongue was not ripe as it would require logistics to be put in place.

He called on all Batswana to celebrate all the aspects that unite the nation whilst shunning those that divide it.

The minister also noted that all tribes were indigenous and equal before the law, hence should be treated equally.

Turning to government programmes aimed at uplifting the lives of remote area dwellers, he called on beneficiaries to commit towards success, warning that he was aware of cases of people who would trick them into selling their livestock for a song.

He said unlike in other areas, remote areas like Malatswai benefitted from RADP houses, Presidential Appeal Housing as well as destitute housing.

For his part village development committee chairperson Mr Kenakgang Makeshane requested that government build an administration block and some classes at Malatswai Primary School.

Mr Makeshane called on education officials to expedite employment of permanent teachers for the school.

He expressed concern that having five temporary teachers was enough evidence that the school had a shortage of teachers. Ends