23 Oct 2022

Department of Meteorological Services forecast has revealed that torrential rain will hit Mabesekwa near Tonota in a few days to come. Addressing a kgotla meeting in Mabesekwa on Friday, Member of Parliament for Tonota, Mr Pono Moatlhodi, therefore, advised residents to ensure that their houses and huts were properly roofed or thatched.

Mr Moatlhodi also encouraged farmers to ensure their farms were properly fenced as this year’s yield was promising, basing on the expected precipitations.

On other issues, Mr Moatlhodi decried expulsion of Mabesekwa pupils from Dukwi junior school in large numbers due to unbecoming behaviour. He urged parents to contact the school to seek clarity on what led to such drastic measures being taken against the children, adding that during school recess, they should motivate their children to continue studying at home instead of roaming around the village. He urged parents to assist teachers in molding children in order to create a better future for them, advising that education was the children’s undisputed heritance.

On the issue of accommodation of police officers and teachers, he urged those with houses to rent them out to officers at reasonable prices suitable for rural setting. For her part, village development committee chairperson, Ms Ontheeditse Bogatsu noted that the village was in need of a permanent agricultural demonstrator.

She also complained about poor network and water situation in the village. Ms Bogatsu also told the area MP that payment of the refuse collector was always delayed, which anomaly hampered efficient garbage collection. Ms Bogatsu also requested for more police officers to be deployed in the village in view of the increasing crime rate.

For his part, Kgosi Tshwaro Masisi called for renovation of kgotla shelter by closing all open spaces with windows and burglar bars to deter criminals as well as fixing the roof, which had been blown away by wind. He also requested that the fence be replaced with a more durable one. Kgosi Masisi called for regular grading of Tonota-Mabesekwa road as it was not easy to use during rainy season. For their part, the residents told MP Moatlhodi that they were planning to cultivate a vegetable garden that was expected to produce more than 75 000 cabbage head per season.

Once productive, the garden would be used to feed orphans and needy students. Ms Gorata Sego advised fellow villagers against taking alcohol alongside their prescription medication, as such a practice frustrated the goal of nursing them back to health. She also condemned the practice of some adults who find nothing wrong in allowing their children to take alcohol and even providing it for them. Mr Keletso Ontaetse requested speeding up in plot allocation, stating that having a plot brough dignity in ones live.

He also requested for the establishment of a post office in the village. He requested that when the nearby coal mine stars operation, it should employ residents of Mabesekwa as part of its Social Corporate Responsibility. ENDS