17 Mar 2020

Traditional legend, Mr Monaga Molefi aka Stigga Sola has hailed corporate companies for taking the lead in protecting tourism sites in Maun to maintain the attractiveness of the area as a tourism hub.

He said this after a successful cleanup campaign of an area popularly known as ‘Matlapana Beach’ conducted over the weekend, noting that they did a commendable job as there was an anticipation of highest water levels this year resulting from the floods in Thamalakane River.

Some corporate companies, government departments and individuals embarked on a thorough cleanup campaign of the area, which forms part of Thamakalane River to prepare for the annual floods.

The campaign was initiated by two Maun based youths, Messrs Anthony Molosi and Gaontebale Tsietso from Scenic Splendour Photography Company.

Mr Molefi said in an interview that it was ideal for the community to join forces with corporate companies to preserve the natural resources,  adding that the river was the main source of income for the community, hence the need to clean it to prepare for the annual floods.

“We should all play our part in maintaining the legacy left by our forefathers as they used to protect the resource for future generation. 

I am pleased to see youth leading the exercise because they are following in their forefather’s steps,” he added.

He expressed concern with  some people who continued to litter the river and called on the community to guard against such a practice because they too derove benefit from the river.

 He said they should be the custodians of the river and ensure it maintained its beauty all the time.

He appreciated that the river had dried up, but anticipated that increased flow caused by local rains in the nearby catchment of the Okavango Delta would cause it to flow again.

The river depends on floods in Angola flowing past Mohembo, a point in the Panhandle, over the first six months of the year, from January to July.

Mr Molefi noted that the peak of the floods at Mohembo generally occurred between mid March and mid May just after the local summer rains in the region of the delta had come to an end.

In an interview with one of the organisers, Mr Molosi said the beach, which is situated behind Okavango River Lodge, was a sensitive area and since they were expecting some flood waters, they had to ensure that the area was clean to avoid water pollution.

The main objective of the exercise, he said, was to bring the community together for a common cause, which is to prepare the popular hotspot for the anticipated floods as well as enhancing the beauty of the tourism site.

He appreciated that Maun and surrounding areas continued to receive some heavy showers and hoped the river would receive water soon.

The campaign, he said, also aimed to encourage responsible use of the river by the local community and visitors. 

“Our aim is to work as a team with the community to preserve the beauty of Maun and the Okavango Delta for the enjoyment of all,” he added.

Mr Molosi also revealed that they decided to start cleaning at the beach as it attracted many people who visit it for leisure, adding that they intended to expand the exercise to other tourism areas around Maun.

In addition, he said if they could get adequate support, their intention was to organise a water welcome ceremony on the day the floods arrived by Thamalakane River. 

He said the community depended much on the river to earn a living and since the drying up of the Thamalakane River, a lot of activities had come to a standstill.

He also pointed out that they wanted to expand their mission to include public education activities in an effort to sensitise the communities about the importance of preserving their rich biodiversity, including the prestigious Okavango Delta.

Mr Molosi appealed to the community to support their initiative and also requested the business community to come on board to ensure the success of the activity. 

He appreciated a great support from some corporates, individuals and some government departments who had pledged assistance in kind.

Some companies and individuals who had pledged support include Okavango River Lodge, Great Plains, Audi Camp, Builders’ World, Mecious Investment and Mr Molefi aka Stika Sola. Ends