25 Nov 2013

The Vice President, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe, has implored Mmadinare Development Trust board members to be honest and accountable so that they could attract more members.

Officially closing a three-day conference for the trust in Mmadinare on November 23, Dr Kedikilwe said the community would get involved and fully participate in the trust’s activities if they were conducted in a transparent manner.

He advised the board to engage people with proper technical management skills to ensure that the trust achieved its intended purpose. The trust held a conference to introspect on the challenges and develop a strategic development plan that would reduce reliance on hunting and auctioning of elephants to raise funds for its activities.

The Vice President said the trust could only enjoy recognition from members of the society if it made profits and created jobs to improve peoples’ lives. He said at this stage, many might not see the importance and understand its mandate, but with time, they would realise its ability.

Dr Kedikilwe commended the board of trustees and advised them to bring on board people with technical abilities in areas of dairy production and tourism. Furthermore, he said, there was a need to market activities of the trust locally and internationally through the use of the information communication technology.

He said the trust’s strategic development plan would assist members to identify a project that required funding because financiers could only come in where there was proper cash flow.

Dr Kedikilwe said government recognised the importance of trusts because they played a critical role in the sustainable development of the country. However, he raised concern that although P400 million was invested in community projects amongst them Diloro Metal Works and Robelela Poultry Farm, they had since collapsed owing to lack of technical skills.

He said government would continue to create enabling environment such as provision of services such as telecommunication facilities, roads and water that supported business ventures.

Kgosi Phokontsi Seeletso expressed concern that Mmadinare residents were not participating in the activities of the trust. It was established 12 years ago but the community had neglected its activities, he added.

Trust chairperson, Colonel Arnold Moseki said Dr Kedikilwe was the patron of the trust due to his massive experience and assured him that the trust members were competent to transform the entity. ENDS