12 Nov 2023

Lerala/Maunatlala MP, Mr Sethabelo Modukanele has applauded government for the promised primary hospital in Lerala, saying that provision of such would help relieve the Selebi Phikwe Hospital.

In his contribution to President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s State-of-the-Nation Address on Thursday, Mr Modukanele said the hospital would also save Lerala/Maunatlala constituents the costs of travelling to Selebi Phikwe.

He said the promise was all the more sweet as they had long called for the construction of the hospital. He, however, said due to the COVID-19, it was understandable that government could not fulfill its promise of upgrading clinics in Ratholo, Mathakola and Majwaneng.

He said constituents were also looking forward to the construction of a police station in Lerala, which he said would be handy in fighting common criminal activities in the area such as stock theft.

Mr Modukanele, who is also Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, also applauded the Ministry of Heath for continuing to handle the HIV/AIDS challenge, saying that factors such as free distribution of condoms should not be taken for granted as they were key in ensuring non-spread of the disease.

“It is our hope that one day, the ministry would be able to equally distribute free sanitary pads to citizens, especially students.

He also called on the government to consider re-opening the Lerala Mine to create employment opportunities for Batswana.

Responding to SONA, MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said Botswana Democratic Party had a number of projects that were yet to be delivered.

Mr Mmolotsi cited the Francistown-Nata road, Somerset Industrial and Gerald interlink as well as the Molepolole water project. 

Mr Mmolotsi also decried closure of mines such as the BCL in Selebi Phikwe, Tati Nickel and Selkirk mines in Francistown, which he said led to many Batswana losing jobs. 

He called on the government to improve on the allocation of land, citing Francistown, where he said the lot that was being currently allocated was the one that applied for plots as far back as 1993. 

“It is now three decades since these people applied for residential plots and they are only being allocated now. 

We long called on the government to make a provision that when one passes on before being allocated land, their application should be made part of their estate so that their children could inherit it, but the government rejected that motion,” he said. 

He also advised government to approach individuals or companies with large chunks of land and buy from them in order to allocate to Batswana, a move that he said would help expedite land allocation. ends