29 Mar 2017

Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism has signed a 15-year lease agreement with Smart Stone investors for Concession area NG 34 High value Tourism zone of Sankoyo Tshwaragano Management Trust in Sankoyo village on Monday
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama apologised for the delay in signing concession lease agreements after the expiry of their leases for all communities affected not only Sankoyo.
The delay, he said was caused by the Land Bank policy which was being introduced to the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation of Tourism with the help of the Ministry of Lands Management, Water and Sanitation Services.
Mr Khama said the changes were necessary because his ministry put Batswana first to benefit more from the tourism sector compared to their expatriates.
“The natural resources belong to Batswana, there is no how they cannot benefit,” he said.
The 15-year contracts, he said would be renewed at the end of the contract based on whether the two parties were happy about the results.
He therefore said as the lease was signed, he hoped the Sankoyo community would resume its services which were negatively affected by the delay.
Mr Khama also said Botswana was a leading example in tourism in Africa and recognised internationally evidenced by the number of tourists who visit the country.
Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) official, Mr Tafa Tafa said the lease agreement marked the journey which started in 2011 when the former lease expired and was renewed temporarily to 2013.
Mr Tafa said the investor Smart Stone would invest about P30 million in construction of two camps, purchasing of vehicles and other necessary equipment.
He said the land rental was about P1, 6 million which was to increase by 10 per cent annually.
The investor, he said would give one per cent of annual proceeds to the community, help in health issues, community training as well as employ 66 Sankoyo community members.
Mr Tafa further said the investor aimed to revive the cultural village with the help of the Sankoyo community.
In his remarks, Sankoyo Kgosi Gokgathang Moalosi said the delay in signing lease agreement has negatively affected his community.
He said about 100 people who were employed by then lost their jobs when the lease agreement expired in 2013.
He said Sankoyo village which was over 100 years in existence was made up of conservationists who formed the Trust, which is run through the Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) in 1996.
Kgosi Moalosi therefore encouraged the Smart Stone investors to cooperate with the community members in managing resources by encompassing both indigenous and scientific knowledge.
Further, he said he hoped the roles done by the Trust for the community such as installation of stand pipes, water system toilets, pension for elders and helping the premier league team Sankoyo Bushbucks would resume.
Kgosi Moalosi also requested that the remaining three areas of Low value tourism zone, Medium zone and the Sankoyo village also be processed speedily for the lease agreements to be finalised.
He however appreciated the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism for heeding his request for the lease to be signed. ENDS