07 Apr 2019

Chobe District Commissioner, Ms Sekgabo Makgosa, has implored all those registered to vote to inspect voters’ rolls that will be availed at different dikgotla.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Parakarungu on April 4, Ms Makgosa said ensuring the details are correct will help rectify errors that could lead to inconveniences on election day.

She informed the residents that there would be a supplementary registration exercise from April 15-28 at all gazetted polling stations.

Ms Makgosa encouraged the residents to register in large numbers to be part of the democratic process of deciding the government during elections.

Meanwhile, she informed residents that the objective of the kgotla meeting was to familiarise herself with issues that affect them as well as to meet and greet them since she was new in the district.

She explained that capturing the issues that mostly affected them would enqble her to decide which departments should be part of the taking services to the people exercise.

Ms Makgosa encouraged the residents to always take up issues with the relevant departments and not wait for kgotla meetings.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Kgosi Johane Chika III thanked Ms Makgosa for introducing herself to the residents, noting that she was already conversant with some of the peculiar issues in the area, as she previously worked in the district in a different portfolio.

Chairperson of the Village Development Committee (VDC), Mr Thabo Zambo decried shortage of accommodation for public officers, saying a second nurse was posted to the village but could not assume duty due to lack of accommodation.

Mr Zambo said there was also acute shortage of office accommodation, citing that one of the offices was operating from a VDC bakery.

He complained that construction of the Poverty Eradication fish pond was moving at a snail’s pace.

During question and comments, one resident Mr Josias Kavuna requested the district commissioner to include Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) officials during taking of services to the community.

Mr Kavuna said WUC officials needed to apprise the residents on their plans to avail water.

He further complained that cattle were injured and some died at a veterinary cattle crush during vaccination but they were never compensated.

Mr Johnson Mabuta requested for an update on the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) cluster fencing.

Mr Mabuta also complained that the promise of turning one of the junior secondary schools in the constituency into a unified school is taking too long, leading to their children being admitted at Nata Senior Secondary School, which is too far.

Mr Benjamin Serome expressed concern about the delay in the maintenance of the Kachikau/Parakarungu road, adding that it is only through a proper road that their village could develop.

Mr Chris Kakambi indicated that the village was promised another water tank to address the problem of water shortage, but nothing has since taken place, while Mr Molaodi Odirile complained of high water tariffs since the takeover by WUC, adding that privatisation impoverished Batswana.

In response, Ms Makgosa said she was informed that the issue of cluster fencing was delayed because the contractor failed to deliver but the DWNP is working on addressing the matter.

She said the issue of a unified secondary school is on the table as it was included in the mid-term review.

She explained that the construction at the fish pond is delayed partly due to the unavailability of building materials.

Proposing a vote of thanks, Kgosi Richwell Nkonkwena thanked the district conmmissioner for finding it fit to come and address the residents.

On the issue of water shortage in the village, Kgosi Nkonkwena said residents were partly to blame as they watered their livestock from the standpipes and he encouraged them to stop the practice.

He said the road issue should be attended to promptly as the airboat that is used to transport patients when the road is flooding is too noisy and worsens the patients’ conditions. ENDS