01 Sep 2016

Minister of Lands and Housing, Mr Prince Maele has commended Kgalagadi Land Board for restoring some dignity to the less privileged members of the community.

Speaking during a house handing over ceremony to Chelagodale family in Tshane on Wednesday, Minister Maele acknowledged efforts by the Kgalagadi Land Board as they saw it fit to relief the Chelagodale family from the hardships of life through responding to the President’s housing appeal for the needy.

He noted that in recognition of the struggles with decent and habitable accommodation for the disadvantaged and vulnerable people, Kgalagadi Land Board needed to be applauded for meeting government half way in providing decent shelter to the needy.

The Chelagodale house, he said was the 14th that his ministry alone had donated through the Presidential Housing Appeal since its inception in 2010, while three more houses are at various construction stages across the country.

He said the response to the Presidential Housing Appeal had been tremendous, adding that so far 633 houses had been donated and handed over to various beneficiaries, a clear testimony to the compassionate nature that Batswana possess.

“Batswana continue to be known as loving people, especially prior to the country’s attainment of independence through the spirit of self- reliance as one of the four pillars of national development principles of democracy, development, self-reliance and unity,” he said.

The Presidential Housing initiative is anchored on the third D, which emphasises dignity and the positive contribution of dignity towards one’s self being.  
He highlighted that government had pledged commitment to housing as an avenue to meet both United Nation Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the nation’s Vision 2016.  

Furthermore, Minister Maele indicated 4481 houses would be built under his ministry through ESP.  

For her part, the delighted Ms Chelagodale acknowledged efforts to resuscitate the less privileged members of the society.  

She said the house would bring the end to her woes as she and her family members had been surviving under dreadful conditions with no roof above their head for as long as she could recall.

Ms Chelagodale applauded government for initiating programmes channeled at empowering poverty stricken communities and ensuring that they live a dignified life. ENDS