17 Apr 2019

Mahalapye Cresta Hotel, in collaboration with Botswana Prison Service, has engaged the community of Pallaroad in a litter picking campaign to kick-start road safety campaigns during the Easter holidays.

In an interview at the end of the clean-up campaign at Pallaroad on April 16, the hotel’s guest relations manager, Ms Kebonye Moatswi revealed that as part of the community, the business community had seen it fit to engage in empowering the community to take part in environmental management.

She said as a business entity in the tourism industry, the environment played a pivotal role in uplifting their business. She also noted that the hotel would be collaborating with the Department of Road Transport and Safety and the police in sharing road safety messages with the community.

She said after noting that the area along the A1 at Pallaroad was an eyesore as a result of indiscriminate disposal of litter, the company resolved to start the road safety campaigns with a clean-up campaign. 

“We collaborated with the Department of Prison and the community of Pallaroad in the clean-up campaign,” she said.

Ms Moatswi added that it was unfortunate that members of the public, more especially motorists using the A1 road, continued to indiscriminately depose waste at bus stops along the road.

Ms Moatswi also noted that any delay in the collection of litter resulted in livestock scattering the waste and turning the area into an eyesore for travellers and tourists.

At the litter picking campaign, Cresta Hotel donated four waste bins to the community of Pallaroad. 

Ms Moatswi said two would be erected at the two main bus stops while one would be located at the clinic and the other at the village kgotla. 

She added that the Easter holidays road safety educational event would be a launch for a long term activity that would target other locations. 

“We are not only going to focus on the Easter holidays but will extent our services to other holidays, and whenever the need to engage the community in road safety arises,” she said.  

Ms Moatswi noted that during the holidays, the country experienced an influx of tourists and said it was important to clean the environment. 

Ms Moatswi also said it was important for drivers to take a rest along the way, and that Cresta Hotel had seen it fit to offer them accommodation at affordable rates during the holidays. 

Mahalapye Cresta Hotel general manager, Mr Cornelius Musubia said the hotel would offer refreshments to travellers at the Pallaroad road safety educational spot during the holidays. 

He added that a gym bike would also be installed at the location for drivers to relax their muscles. 

Officer in charge at Mahalapye Prison, Superintendent Gabaitse Motsumi noted the importance of engaging in clean-up campaigns. 

He said the department welcomed the invitation from Cresta, as it was a way of giving back to the community.  

Kgosi Moses Mpaesele of Palla Road complained that the community was still reluctant to clean the environment, and said the campaign by Cresta Hotel and Prisons was a wake-up call for the community. 

He added that although the council was encouraging the community to keep a clean environment through clean-up campaigns, his village was still lagging behind. “We are motivated to continue with such clean-up campaigns,” said Kgosi Mpaesele. ENDS