09 Jan 2022

Kgosi Baedzi Mokhonto of Masukwane village in the North East has decried late distribution of ploughing seeds in the village.

Speaking at a kgotla meeting addressed by MP for Tati West, Mr Simon Moabi recently, Kgosi Mokhonto said ploughing seeds were distributed in her village in December last year, something she indicated was far later than the start of the ploughing season.

She explained that as pastoral farmers, Masukwane residents depended on agriculture given that it was the backbone of rural livelihoods.

Kgosi Mokhonto cautioned residents to look after their livestock so that they did not destroy crops. She also appealed to residents to report stray cattle to relevant authorities to avoid cases of stock theft.

The kgosi however, thanked government for considering the introduction of mother languages in primary schools.

That, she said, was a welcome development considering that 30 indigenous languages would be introduced in the first phase.

In response, chief technical officer (veterinary services) in the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Kangangwani Malumbela informed residents that the late arrival of ploughing seeds was exacerbated by the fact the village had been without an agricultural demonstrator for a long time.

However, he said the department was in the process of posting an officer to the village to address the problem.

He said theNorth East district was faced with a serious shortage of agriculture extension officers but promised that the department would continue to depend on temporary officers.

In his address, MP Moabi informed residents about the upgrading to bitumen standard of the Tshesebe- Mosojane gravel road.

He said the contractor was on site and that the project would help address unemployment.

Mr Moabi however, appealed to residents to be part and parcel of the supervision of the project and report any wrong- doing or cases of corruption.

He said the eleventh National Development Plan (NDP 11) had a good package for the North East District in terms of major projects citing the resealing and widening of the Zwenshambe/Ramokgwebana tarred road.

Another project, he said, was the water reticulation project in all the villages, adding that once completed, the project would address shortage of drinking water in the district.

He appealed to the village residents, especially the youth, to apply for residential plots.

Earlier on, VDC chairperson, Mr Balimi Siku appealed for the upgrading of the clinic to include a maternity ward. He also asked for a permanent doctor and additional nurses at the clinic to reduce long queues and congestion.

In other issues, residents commended government for the constitutional review, which they argued was long due. ENDS