17 Aug 2016

Matsiloje councillor, Ms Flora Mpetsane has called for the ban of usage of cameras during the Presidential fashion design competitions.
Speaking during a brief for the Presidential Inspectorate task team, Ms Mpetsane who is also chairperson of the North East District Council said it has been observed that some people take pictures of designs of exhibits and use them to enrich themselves.
She suggested that exhibitors are able to earn  a living through the uniqueness of their designs.
On other issues, Ms Mpetsane told the team that her  council has tried to provide a market for the poverty eradication beneficiaries as they supply local schools with bread.
She further said tenders for the destitute and needy children uniforms are given to poverty eradication beneficiaries.
She nonetheless, encouraged the beneficiaries to be self-reliant and desist from depending on the government for everything. She encouraged them to continuously look for new market for the products.
“When your projects start making money you should buy some of the things that you need instead of waiting on the government to provide such,” she said
One of the beneficiaries, Ms Gomotsegang Mokopanele who was funded for fashion design through the Youth Development Fund (YDF) lamented competition from the Chinese shops. She noted that although the quality of the shops' products and the local designers' quality differ customers still expect the locals to supply at cheaper prices as the shops.
Ms Mokopanele also complained that government departments delay in making payments after they were supplied.  
She further indicated that during the Presidential competitions in Gaborone, prizes take long before they are availed to the winners citing that last year she won a trophy for the position but up to now she has not received it.
Ms Area Mokgosi who was given a small stock project under the poverty eradication programme in 2013 applauded the government efforts towards eradicating abject poverty.
She noted that despite predators and animal diseases she has over 35 goats including kids after she was given 13 at the start of the project.
She explained that her goats were killed in 2014 during the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak but due to determination and perseverance after the restocking exercise she managed to protect them from predators and remain with the over 35.
Ms Mokgosi said she is planning to sell some of the off springs and buy herself a cow as way of diversifying her farming.
Earlier, a member of the team, Mr Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri said the purpose of the tour is to check on progress of all government empowerment programmes, share ideas on how the programmes could  be improved in order to help boost the economy and improve the lives of the beneficiaries and compile a report to the Office of the President.The team visited projects that were funded through YDF, Poverty Eradication programme and Livestock Management Infrastructure Development. ENDS