30 Apr 2020

Seronga COVID-19 Response Team chairperson, Mr Otukile Motukwa has thanked Wilderness Safaris for the support it gives to Seronga and neighbouring villages.

Mr Motukwa, who is also Seronga Sub-land Board secretary, was speaking at the handing over of a donation of hygiene products by Wilderness Safaris, its air wing, Wilderness Air and Project Sanitize Maun worth about P40 000.

He said the donated items were critical in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Motukwa observed that President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi had extended the social extreme distancing period with the hope to relax the restrictions over time, which he said called for the communities to continue abiding by the regulations.

He noted that communities of Seronga and the five villages surrounding it had various needs, therefore any assistance from Wilderness was worthwhile.

Wilderness Safaris Vumbura Concession manager, Mr Johan Von Backstrom said that their company saw it fit to assist communities in need in the midst of COVID-19.

Mr Von Backstrom expressed hope that Okavango Community Trust (OCT) would distribute the donations to members of the community in Seronga and surrounding villages.

The safari company, he said, was dedicated to assisting communities in its area of operations in any way possible.

He advised that the communities continue observing social distancing in order to realise a normal life post COVID-19.

Okavango Community Trust general manager, Mr Botshelo Sesinyi said the trust did a need analysis and therefore requested hygiene products as a way of complementing government efforts as government mainly assist communities with food baskets.

He said the Wilderness Safaris donation would be combined with some donation from OCT to be distributed to Seronga and surrounding villages of Eretsha, Beetsha, Gudigwa and Gunotsoga.

The Wilderness Safaris donation entailed bath soap, hand soap, sanitisers, refuse bags, sanitiser dispensers, toilet rolls and tissues, liquid body soap, while it cost the company P20 000 to deliver them to the authorities for further distribution. ENDS