05 Jul 2020

The Vice President, Mr Slumber Tsogwane has given Batswana a pat on the back for observing health protocols aimed at fighting coronavirus.

He said this during a meeting held together with an entourage of cabinet Ministers and COVID-19 teams as well as the district leadership in Francistown on July 3.

The Vice President, who is also Boteti West legislator said one of the primary reasons Botswana continued to contain COVID-19 was total adherence by the general public to the laid-down health protocols.

Mr Tsogwane, however, warned the nation never to let down its guard in the fight against COVID-19 following the decision by the government to open up the economy.

“The Ministry of Health is now in good stead to conduct surveillance and this will by and large depend on not having new cases of Coronavirus that hamper the conduct of this exercise,” he said. Also, the Vice President informed the meeting that the government was formulating a recovery plan to mitigate the disease’s devastating effects on the economy.

Interventions by the government to try and stabilise the economy and sustain Batswana’s livelihoods during the lockdown, according to Mr Tsogwane, had seriously affected the national coffers.

The Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Mr Lefoko Moagi said his ministry was considering expanding some of the existing fuel storage facilities and fast-track the construction of the Tshele Hills oil storage.

“The recent logistical challenges at border posts and technical hiccups at some oil refineries in South Africa disrupted the supply of fuel in our country. This was a learning curve of what was necessary to avert a similar occurrence in future,” he said.

The Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Mr Tumiso Rakgare, stated that the effects of COVID-19 did not only result in the cancellation of numerous sporting events but left professional athletes in the lurch with nothing to put bread on the table.

He, however, said a number of interventions had been put in place to ease the plight of both the athletes and some artistes.

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse said his ministry had assisted many Batswana who could not sustain themselves and their families during the lockdown.

He said contrary to rumours spread by some people who wanted to mislead the general public, food relief packages were purely a preserve for those who did not have income during the lockdown.

Mr Autlwetse also cleared confusions over the Ipelegeng programme saying the government was not planning to do away with the programme in any way. 

“Here in Francistown almost half of the total number of people listed under the programme is back at work with some having been deployed to places such as schools to help conduct the cleaning of the facilities under the new normal. The only aspect that lags behind is that of having Ipelegeng workers working in large groups as was the case before and this is due to the need to adhere to health regulations in place,” he said

Earlier on when welcoming Mr Tsogwane and his entourage, the Mayor of Francistown, Mr Godisang Radisigo relayed that the city like other major centres across the world had felt the negative impact caused by COVID-19.

“This has had a major effect on the economy of our city and our people,” he said echoing Vice President’s Tsogwane sentiments that the people of Francistown had nonetheless been courageous and heeded advice given by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

He was, therefore, happy with the level of cooperation extended by both members of the public as well as Community Based Organizations in the fight against COVID-19 . Ends