16 Feb 2020

Mayor of the Belgian City of Genk, Mr Wim Dries says twinning with the City of Francistown has resulted in Genk starting the wards system.

Speaking during a visit by the City of Genk delegation to Satellite Park in Francistown, Mr Dries said the visit was paramount as he believes that the power of their city comes from the people or the wards who are building the city’.

He said Satellite ward was important as it was one of the building blocks of the City of Francistown, hence they found it important to give the ward an award for volunteers’ enthusiasm.

Mr Dries said that if one goes alone, he goes fast, but if you go together, you go far, hence the twinning of the two cities.

Deputy Mayor of Genk, Ms Anniek Nagels said they decided to give the City of Francistown an award amounting to P31 000 for  running sustainable projects.

She noted that the poultry project was sustainable in that it provided jobs, food and ultimately manure to the farming end.

Ms Nagels said the project also assisted youth with income for the family, wards and built youngsters to become responsible citizens.

The Mayor of Francistown, Mr Godisang Radisigo noted that when he visited Genk, he found that they had done the same community wards set up as in Botswana.

He said that it was important to have ongoing cordial relationships for the betterment of the communities.

Mr Radisigo said Genk had started setting up a kgotla system, which he said was testimony to the exchange programme and the cordial relationship that the City of Francistown had with the City of Genk.

Ward Development Committee chairperson, Mr Moatlhodi Nthebolang said the committee decided to start the broiler chicken project in order to meet the demand for chicken in Satellite and surrounding areas.

He said that the target group was the schools, poverty eradication beneficiaries and the catering businesses, as well as individuals from the community.

For her part, Satellite Customary Court president, Kgosi Tshegofatso Setumo said that most of the projects failed because of lack of funds.

As such, she appreciated the assistance from the City of Genk. ENDS