14 May 2018

Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Thapelo Olopeng says the annual Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival has grown in the last seven years of its existence.

Officially opening the event over the weekend, Olopeng thanked President Mokgweetsi Masisi for attending the event this year, with his wife Neo Masisi and daughter Atsile, just as he promised last year while he was still Vice President, which he described as a show of support for the annual spectacle.

Olopeng said he was currently in discussions with the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama with a view to coming up with strategies to lure the private sector to invest in the Kgalagadi District.

 He thus implored particularly the hospitality industry to set up lodges in the district to maximise the benefit they derived from the annual event. 

He said doing so could go a long way to improve the lives of residents beyond the three-day event.

Olopeng also said he was desirous of seeing the motor sport activities being run and sponsored by the private sector. 

He said he was, however, impressed that many young Batswana exhibited talent through arts and participated at different stages to put the massive event together.

Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) chairperson, Mr Larry Khupe also reiterated that the event has grown and become dynamic in terms of participation and activities lined up. 

He said some activities were added along the way to cater for more fun lovers. 

He said the event has also produced riders who were able to compete both locally and abroad.

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Frans van der Westhuizen also thanked former president, Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama for introducing the event in 2012 and seeing the tourism potential of the district. 

He said the ball was now on their courts to develop the event further and derive maximum economic benefit from it.

Van der Westhuizen, also Member of Parliament for Kgalagadi South, thanked President Masisi for his commitment to developing tourism in his area.

Van der Westhuizen, however, challenged the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism to develop a definitive plan to position the district to generate wealth that would trickle down to residents through tourism. 

He said the tourism industry was still virgin in the district. 

He also urged BTO to ensure the majority of goods and services were provided by residents of the district during the annual showpiece.

First timer, Jan Tities from the Northern Cape, South Africa, said he learnt about the event through social media. 

Tities had brought along family and friends to immerse themselves in the sands of the Kalahari.

A youthful entrepreneur, Nonofo Setlhogile of Lokgwabe near Hukuntsi in the Kgalagadi North said the event had been a shot in the arm for her business since 2015. END