30 Mar 2017

Department of Forestry and Range Resources (DFRR) in Letlhakane has a staff compliment of 17 in its establishment.
Answering a question in Parliament on March 29, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama said two officers were at technical and artisan levels while 15 were support staff (field Assistants).
On staff issues in Letlhakane, the minister said ‘there is a serious shortage of professional staff in the sub-district. The two officers are at Technical and Artisan levels, hence there are no professionals’.
Mr Khama said there was no administration officer and efforts to request for additional posts from DPSM had not been successful.
Further, the minister said all the three existing offices had been fully furnished and the office had two vehicles, one of which were however was boarded.
“Vehicles will be rationalised to relocate one vehicle to Letlhakane on April 1,” he added.
Regarding area of coverage, he said, Letlhakane Sub-district covers from Mokubilo on the east, to Makalamabedi on the west and from Mmatshumo on the north to Kedia on the south, thus covering 21 villages.
Minister Khama however said the officers in the station were not enough to cover 21 villages and to partially address the situation. The administration staff at Serowe will visit the sub-district (Letlhakane) on a monthly basis.
Parliament heard that the situation at Letlhakane was not different from other districts and was created by lack of posts. “My ministry will continue to engage DPSM to request for additional posts. The department has also requested for Interns to augment the staff in the district,” he said.
MP Sethomo Lelatisitswe of Boteti East had asked the minister to apprise the House about the forestry office in Letlhakane on the posts that existed as per the establishment, the number of vacant posts and the reasons why they were not filled, staffing issues, furniture, transport and area of coverage.
Boteti East legislator further asked whether officers in the station were enough and what the minister would do to address the situation. ENDS