12 Jan 2021

Vice President Slumber Tsogwane has implored Orapa residents to reduce movement to ensure the diamond mining town remained safe from COVID-19.

Expressing concern that Orapa had registered the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the Boteti sub-district, Mr Tsogwane reminded his audience Monday that diamonds were the mainstay of Botswana’s economy.

 As a diamond mining area, Orapa should be highly protected, he said in a meeting with traditional leaders, councillors and urban extension team members held in the town.

 Mr Tsogwane, who is also the area MP, said people visiting the town should be tested with contact tracing done on a regular basis. 

He cautioned that if the numbers continued to rise, the town could be placed under lockdown.

He pleaded with residents to reduce movement, expressing concern that people embarked on holiday travel, disregarding the risks of contracting the virus. 

Mr Tsogwane further said it was of great concern that some  were still in denial about the existence of the scourge and demanded that some businesses deemed to be super spreaders should continue operating.

He pointed out that people who attended social gatherings in Gaborone led to the spread of the corona virus to other parts of the country. 

The vice president said government responded by setting up regional and district COVID-19 teams, which were useful in controlling the virus’ spread.

Other measures were put in place to ensure the scourge was not brought into the country through points of entry, he said.

Mr Tsogwane was responding to a report presented by the Regional Health Management Team coordinator, Ms Gasebotho Kedikilwe, who had indicated that the sub-district had 195 cumulative COVID-19 cases out of which Orapa was responsible for 185 and Rakops 10. 

She said there were 151 recoveries, 44 active cases, with 43 in Orapa and one in Rakops.

On other issues, chairperson of Orapa Urban Extension Team, Ms Kolobetso Seabe complained that non-Debswana employees in Orapa experienced a challenge with admission of their children into the company’s primary and pre-schools.

Ms Seabe also complained of inadequate residential  and office accommodation affecting Orapa Junior Secondary School, Botswana Post, Orapa Tribal Administration and Department of Immigration.

Her other complaint was about massive transfers of teachers without timely replacements. 

Commenting, Orapa councillor, Mr Chilume Balopi called for the establishment of a government primary school in Orapa. Ends