21 Feb 2019

The dream for some residents of the envisioned Xhorotshaa settlement has finally taken shape as the Maun Administration Authority (MAA) marked a ground breaking ceremony of 23 houses that are constructed for the residents on February 19. 

The establishment of Xhorotshaa settlement was birthed about nine years ago, but was not realised due to lack of water as one of the major setbacks.

Xhorotshaa is situated in the borders of Kuke Veterinary fence, a few kilometres from Xhabbo in the Ghanzi District, while Kareng is the nearest in the North West District.

 Residents of the envisioned village are dispersed in farms surrounding Kareng to date. 

About 300 people who are mainly from Basarwa tribe made up of at least 23 families are anticipated to settle in Xhorotshaa after completion of the 23 houses hopefully by mid this year.

The MAA dignitaries including the MAA chairperson Mr Mmoedi Modiegi and the North West assistant district commissioner Mr Ramogaupi Gaborekwe officially marked the ground breaking of Xhorotshaa settlement on Wednesday, where a contractor is on site constructing the first batch of the 23 houses.

MAA senior assistant council secretary Ms Mogotsi Seemule said Xhorotshaa had been in the pipeline since 2009. 

Ms Seemule also said that Xhorotshaa project was abandoned at some point after the council failed to drill a borehole for the settlement. 

She observed that the water finding mission was revisited in 2017 with rejuvenation and a new direction and the team became successful in December 2017 through the aid of some local experts and that the borehole had been equipped and ready to pump water.

Nonetheless, she said the establishment of the settlement was further delayed by lack of funds.

 She said the Ministry of Local and Rural Development, on the other hand has been allocating Xhorotshaa houses in the annual Remote Area Development Programme (RADP) plans, which were deferred to other villages. 

Ms Seemule therefore said since the council had finally secured resources to continue the settlement establishment, it had engaged a contractor to begin the 18 houses allocated in the past years and additional five houses, which fall in the 2019/2020 budget. She further noted that other developments as a primary school would follow after the residents have settled. Kareng Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Mongwato Hipo appreciated the ground breaking as a milestone for Xhorotshaa settlement. 

Mr Hipo said it was a dream come true for the dispersed Xhorotshaaa settlement to have homes. 

The people of Xhorotshaa have been hosted in the nearby farms surrounding Kareng in the Ngamiland District such as Span Pleke, Roman and Dikgathong. ENDS