13 Jun 2016

Minister of Infrastructure, Science and Technology, Mr Nonofo Molefhi says the church should have a role in tackling life challenges affecting the community.

Speaking after the Serowe United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) sponsored walk on Saturday, Mr Molefhi said a role of church is not only to preach from Genesis to Revelations but should be a remedy to the country’s present  challenges affecting the community.

He challenged the church to help in addressing challenges such as AIDS, unemployment and challenges affecting education that he said also affect members of their congregation.

Mr Molefhi further said church could enhance government life uplifting initiatives by inviting government departments  to inform the congregation about government whenever they hold seminar or workshops.

Through this, he said they will help Batswana to utilise or exploit government life uplifting initiatives.

He noted that government partnership with the church that existed for many years is inevitable as the church has made many developments citing health issues and education issues, among others.

Also he said it is critical in building and molding human personality.

Concerning restoration of the old London Missionary Society (LMS) station located near Serowe Museum, known as Thataganyane to become religious tourism and pilgrimage, Mr Molefhi  advised  UCCSA to  partner with the community rather as an isolation saying that the site does not only hold UCCSA history but also of Batswana.

He said through their consorted efforts with the society they could turn the site into tourism pilgrimage and create employment for Batswana.

For her part, the chairperson of Thataganyane committee spearheading resurrection of the historical site, Ms Molebi Morolong said it is not easy to do anything in the site because it was declared a national monument.

Ms Morolong said they have to request authorization from the department of museums before doing anything in the site, which can be traced back from 1902 during the time when Bangwato were relocating to Serowe from old Palapye now called Malaka.

She said they have already fenced the site that had turned into the heavens for criminals and pastures for cattle.

She said that their priority is to refurbish the hall and later will establish how they can make the area a tourism centre.

Currently, she said they have engaged the archeologist to assess the site, saying that it came at a cost of P 100 000. ENDS