18 Feb 2014

Parliament has been informed that there is no inventory of silos in all dikgotla as well as their total storage capacity.

Responding to a question from the MP for Kgalagadi North, Mr Phillip Khwae, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Peter Siele said silos were community property, which was used for storing harvest from masimo a dikgosi, but with the changing socio-economic status these silos are no longer used for the intended purpose.

He said he was aware that silos built by tribes in most dikgotla around the country were in a state of despair and are not being utelized.

Mr Siele said their use lied with dikgosi in different villages adding that the Ministry of Agriculture had constructed modern grain silos in designated areas for storage puposes to avoid sourcing sorghum from as far as Australia.

However, the minister promised to engage dikgosi on how they intended using such silos, adding that he was also aware that they were in a state of despair and not being utilised.

MP Khwae had asked the minister if he was aware that silos built by tribes in most dikgotla around the country were in a state of despair hence being not utilised.

He had wanted to know if there were inventory of silos in all dikgotla and their total storage capacity, and if the minister in consultation with Dikgosi, would not consider renovating and restoring them for purposes of storing harvest to avoid sourcing sorghum from as far as Australia. ENDS