10 Sep 2023

The envisaged Mmathethe-Werda-Bray road will help revive the local economy, MP for Mmathethe/Molapowabojang Dr Edwin Dikoloti has said.

Addressing Mmathethe  residents during a kgotla meeting on recently, Dr Dikoloti said the road would greatly benefit the constituents as it would amongst others create employment.

Noting that the district was well known for its agricultural produce, Dr Dikoloti said the road would also link farmers from Mmathethe area to those in Kgalagadi.

The MP said it was for that reason that the road was amongst government top priorities because most of Batswana sustained themselves through farming. 

“It will also ease movement of farmers from their areas of production to the market,” he said.

Dr Dikoloti furthermore said government had, in its efforts to increase livestock numbers and improve genetics, introduced artificial insemination training for farmers.

He said farmers were now only charged P500 for 18 days training  at the Ramatlabama Training Center while being provided with free accommodation and meals, instead of over P6 000 that was charged in the past. 

Residents also heard that some farmers were currently  training at the Ramatlabama Bull Ranch.

Dr Dikoloti said the skill acquired from the training would enable farmers to conduct artificial insemination in their farms, adding that the move would also give them a chance to speedily enhance the quality of their stock.

In their response constituents applauded Dr Dikoloti for amongst others helping them to start the Hatlhogang Trust, gifting each village development committee with a laptop and facilitating the construction of the classroom for children with disabilities.

They urged him to ensure that the Mmathethe-Bray-Werda road was constructed on time as it would benefit them.

Some said government should consider constructing a fully-fledged police station as their village was plagued by stock theft and illicit drugs. 

Also, they requested government intensify efforts to arrest livestock theft just like it was done with money heists.

For his part, Good Hope District Council chairperson, Mr Fanki Motsaathebe urged residents to be patient as developments took time.

He explained that since their district was big, it would always seem like developments were moving at a snail pace but they should be rest assured that most of their grievances would be addressed. Ends