13 May 2020

Kanye Administrative Authority (KAA) chairperson, Mr Simon Ramaphoi says the sub-council is doing everything in its power to meet the needs of Batswana through food dispersion.

Mr Ramaphoi said although the sub-council was experiencing some hiccups in food distribution to cushion Batswana against the COVID-19 lockdown, they were doubling their efforts to assist Batswana during this period.

He said they had already assessed 1 200 households in Molapowabojang East and 1 300 in the west of the village.

He said it was important to complete first round of the food distribution first before proceeding to the second round.

He said supermarkets and shops in the sub-district had run out of the needed items thus causing delay in the dispersion process.

He added that prices were also hiked, which depleted the sub-councils budget.

He expressed gratitude to Member of Parliament for Mmathethe/Molapowabojang, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, who is also Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security for organising food hampers from different companies.

Mr Ramaphoi said the sub-council augmented the food hampers with soap.

He decried individuals who tried to beat the system to benefit twice. He said some after being assessed in villages relocated to the lands and cattle posts and did not disclose to social workers that they were assessed.

A resident of Molapowabojang, Ms Boitumelo Monkutlwatsi said the food basket would cushion her against the hardships as a result of the lockdown.

She said the sub-council delayed in giving her the needed items, and implored the council to speed up the process.

She suggested that households should be given money to buy groceries for themselves.

 Ms Thandie Poloko, also a resident of Molapowabojang, was optimistic that the food basket would be of help to her family.

She urged the council to give people living with disabilities priority, as they were the most vulnerable from hardships arising from COVID-19 as well as the elderly.

She said the elderly were frail and needed to be given priority. ENDS