12 Jul 2020

Vice President, Mr Slumber Tsogwane says self-management and discipline are key in combating the spread of COVID-19.

Addressing a meeting attended by the sub-district COVID-19 response team, dikgosi, councillors and village development committees in Lerala on Thursday, the Vice President said COVID-19 was a new and deadly disease with no cure and could spread like veld fire if not handled properly, hence precautionary measures must be adhered to.

Mr Tsogwane pleaded with all to work hand in hand with government to stop the spread of the virus and also encouraged people to limit their movement,  adding that everything must be done to ensure the situation did not get out of hand, especially that the country did not have the funds and capacity to handle COVID -19,  should things get out of hand.

He informed that gathering that three Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) students were in isolation after visiting a place where a truck driver infected with the virus happened to have been.

He said measures were in place to monitor and manage the situation while contact tracing was being done.

Botswana, he said, was land locked and shared borders with countries affected by the pandemic.

He said it was also a transit country for truckers en-route to other countries and this put the nation at risk.

Mr Tsogwane said that precautionary measures had been put in place at border posts and truck drivers at all entry points underwent a mandatory COVID-19 tests, adding that specimen were sent to testing centres in Gaborone, Palapye and Francistown while some borders had testing facilities.

He explained that truck drivers had to wait at least 24 hours to get their results.

The Vice President noted that the country was facing a challenge of people entering at ungazetted points and that could spread the virus.

Mr Tsogwane urged Batswana to be innovative in fighting the pandemic and commended BIUST for producing sanitisers, liquid and bar soap as well as distributing them around the country.

He also commended BIUST for making drone sprayers that were used to disinfect public open spaces.

He also acknowledged Morupule Coal Mine for financing BIUST projects.

He encouraged Batswana to utilise online platforms to apply for permits to travel to different zones.

The Vice President urged Batswana to take agriculture seriously in order to improve food security and reduce reliance on imports.

For her part, Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Ms Beauty Manake said agricultural activities were many in Tswapong.

The region, she said, produced quality water melons in large quantities.

She therefore said it would be good to set up a processing plant that would also create employment. Ends