25 Jul 2013

The Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism has started the recruitment process to fill the available 375 Ipelegeng volunteers’ slots for Ngamiland district.

Answering a Parliament question on behalf of the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said the training of the recruits in problem animal control preventative methods will be conducted as a soon as the volunteers report for duty.

Ms Tshireletso further said the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism has previously trained on the use of teargas but encountered limitations in its use as an elephant deterrent. Instead, she said the ministry is in the process of rolling out the use of other mitigation methods such as chilli paper and beehives. 

MP for Maun West, Mr Tawana Moremi had asked the minister on the progress in the announcement made by the President at Nxaraga kgotla  that Ipelegeng workers will be trained in the use of teargas to fight elephants from fields. ENDS