11 Jul 2013

Batswana must guard against violating the National Emblem Act especially the National Anthem, Southern District Commissioner, Mr Moses Gaealafswe has said.

Mr Gaealafswe who gave a brief lecture on factors to observe when singing the National Anthem said at the Molapowabojang community service recently that he had observed on many occasions that the second stanza of the National Anthem was not sang as it should.

“People move about, continue with their conversation and pay little attention particularly to the second stanza of the National Anthem and this is a grave contravention to the National Emblems Act,” he said.

Thus, he implored Batswana to go back to the drawing boards and learn the song word for word as its importance cannot be ignored.

On others, Mr Gaealafswe advised dikgosi and other law enforcers to employ the services of traditional beer regulations to curb proliferation of other concoctions not covered in the law which he said are a health hazard to those who consume them.

That followed a complaint from Kgosi Michael Ratsoma who decried that in spite of the piece of the law that has been put in place to try and regulate beer drinking, there were still some pockets of defiance as some people continued to sell it illegally.

The district commissioner also told Kgosi Ratsoma that it was government’s standing policy to pay dikgosi from the level of chief of arbitration upwards and until there was change to the status quo, there was nothing that could be done.

He said that the discretion to upgrade one of the wards in the village to the status of arbitration lied with Molapowabojang traditional leadership.

That, he underscored could only be possible if there was evidence that the main kgotla was indeed swamped with cases. He warned though that care must be taken lest those that have been promoted may end up fighting for bogosi as had been the case in other villages.

Earlier on, Southern District deputy council secretary, Ms Linah Mahalelo expressed worry that Ipelegeng projects in the area were not doing well as they should; something she blamed on people who do not seriously engage themselves in the projects they were working on.

“Many of you have displayed insubordination and are not willing to  work whenever you are told to do so by your supervisors,” she said adding that such people spend most of the time idling and engaging in gossip with fellow workers.

She warned however that time for such ill-discipline will not be entertained anymore because the nation needed to be given proper timeous service.

Ms Mahalelo also came strongly against some Batswana who indiscriminately litter their immediate surrounding believing it was the duty of Ipelegeng workers to clean.

The tendency, she said needed to be condemned and done away with so that Ipelegeng workers may focus on pertinent projects the society needed the most.

Some residents welcomed the initiative by council to bring services closer to them. Some however called on government to strike a balance and ensure that Ipelegeng did not clash with equally important ISPAAD.

Mr Nonoho Tauetsile suggested that the number of Ipelegeng workers should be reduced during ploughing season so that there will be enough labour at the fields at that time.

“What obtains now is that the same people who are supposed to be tilling land will also be engaged in Ipelegeng and this has proven to be counterproductive,” he said.

Another resident, Ms Connie Puni said although she appreciated and supported government poverty eradication initiatives, water scarcity in Botswana negated the huge potential.

The status quo, she said called on government to minimise backyard garden packages and replace them with other alternative packages.

A lot of backyard garden projects implements bought with huge amounts of money, she said were now lying idle because of unavailability of water. ENDS