27 Feb 2014

Bangwaketse would soon have a cultural village and seminar centre where they would preserve their rich culture and tradition, thanks to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Speaking during the ground breaking ceremony at Bathoen II Bird Sanctuary in Kanye yesterday, Kgosi Malope II of Bangwaketse said the project would fulfil the late Kgosi Bathoen II’s vision when he first set the area aside in 1940 to be used by the community to do sustainable economic activities to alleviate poverty.

Within the sanctuary, he explained that Kgosi Bathoen had also built a dam in 1940, Bathoen Dam, otherwise known as Mmakgodumo, for an irrigation project that provided fresh produce to school children.

He said the project would cater for nature and culture lovers who would be required to pay a reasonable fee for visitations and guided tours.

When giving an overview of the project, Bathoen II Trust Board member, Mr Geoffrey Serebolo revealed that UNDP, under the Global environment facility funded the initiative to the tune of P556 950  00.

Mr Serebolo said they intend to conserve fish and aquatic life in the dam within the sanctuary, where they would also introduce water sporting further down the line.

He said they would also build an entrance gate and fence the whole area through labour intensive projects with the view to controlling movement into the sanctuary.

Mr Serebolo further projected that the area would over time turn into a game park adjoining the Ramatea cattle ranch, which he revealed, was also community land.

During his time, he said, Kgosi Bathoen had banned hunting within the sanctuary thus the project would reinstate his original purpose and vision for the area.

For his part, Mr Pontius Mokgosana urged Bangwaketse to work as a collective to honour Kgosi Bathoen and fulfil his long standing vision through the project. ENDS