02 Oct 2016

Mr and Miss Botswana, Masego Motlhabane and Jabulani Radipitse have appealed to the nation to support them during their 10-year reign.

Speaking on the sidelines of the independence celebrations in Jwaneng on September 30, Radipitse said even though they were delighted to have been crowned the country’s golden jubilee couple, they needed support to execute their mandate successfully.

She said prior to the national competition, their short term project was building a two-roomed house for one of their agemates in Sese. 

She said the project, which they were undertaking in conjunction with Balekane ba Botswana in Jwaneng district, was at roof level. Furthermore, she noted that the long term plan was to work with widows on issues that affected them emotionally, psycho-socially and financially.

“I chose this project because I have realised that widows face a lot of challenges after the passing of their spouses. I have seen their struggles through my family members and decided to venture into something that can offer support to this group of women so that they can sustain their families,” she said.

She noted that the success of these projects depended highly on the support from the district and national leadership. 

Motlhabane also noted that being crowned with such prestigious titles was a huge responsibility on them. 

He said even though they had not been officially introduced to Batswana after crowning, he was optimistic that they will perform their duties well.

He noted that the journey had not been smooth-sailing because they had to pay for most things from their own pockets when they were preparing for the national pageant. 

However, he said this has not dampened their spirit as the objective is to give back to the community that has supported them for 50 years. 

He said they intended to live a legacy which the nation can remember them with after their reign, as well as being role models to the young generation. 

This, he said, could only be achieved if different stakeholders and leaders could pledge their utmost support. Ends