25 Mar 2020

Village Development Committee (VDC) for Matsiloje has appealed to government to strengthen security measures at the village border post by deploying more officers. 

In an interview with BOPA on Monday, VDC chairperson, Ms Annah Majama said more officers monitoring border movements would help curb incidents of border jumping into the village. 

She noted that border jumpers posed risks to villagers because they came from countries with confirmed cases of the virus, such as Zimbabwe, and it was therefore vital to consider tough measures to prevent possible spread of virus. 

Ms Majama said there was need to renovate the border fence as it was in bad state, making it possible for elephants to roam the village and for border jumpers to cross into the village. 

She however said VDC had been in talks with department of wildlife and national parks and had been given guidance about the proposed trust fund, which was set up to acquire a solar border fence. 

“We are hopeful that the solar border fence would make a difference and curb movement of elephants but an electric fence that has more power would be better if considered instead,” she said. 

Another member of the VDC, Ms Selomeng Mophosho, complained that developments in the village lagged behind, saying there was  need for more tower lights and the extension of water pipes to cover all areas of the village. 

The village currently has two tower lights, and needs more lights to reduce the darkness in the village to help get rid of the elephants in the village. 

She said there was need for renovation of the Matsiloje clinic, increasing ward rooms and deployment of more health workers. 

Ms Mophosho said although the ploughed to earn a living, often their efforts went to waste as elephants’ destroyed their crops. 

Other members of VDC also said that there was need to increase classrooms and teachers’ accommodation. 

Meanwhile in Matopi, VDC vice chairperson Ms Attalia Thogo decried the high rate of youth unemployment in the village saying most resorted to alcohol abuse after failing their studies. 

Another challenge, she said, was the lack of detailed knowledge about youth empowerment programs, hence why the youth still wandered the streets and did not tap into the available opportunities to make a living. 

Ms Thogo said VDC was working to help the youth make informed decisions by calling for parental participation in their lives as well. 

In addition to youth unemployment, other challenges facing Matopi include shortage of staff accommodation, shortage of water and lack of resources at the clinic. Ends