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Edition 320 June 23 - 30, 2006

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PRESIDENT IN FIGHTING MOODBy Bright Kholi and Basadi Morokotso

President Festus Mogae came off the ropes this week to tell the North West District he supported shorter bar hours and that democracy rules.

An uncompromising Mogae told kgotlas in Shakawe, Gumare and Maun he was not here to hear complaints and opinions from villagers but to tell them the opinions being formulated within government about alcohol abuse and amendments to the Constitution. He however said he needed support on the proposed Trade and Liquor Act.

His straight-from-the-shoulder comments did little to lighten the mood at all three kgotlas, particularly at Gumare where the Bayei made it plain they were not pleased to see him.

Mogae told one questioner: “I didn’t come here to hear your word of advice and opinions. That time has already passed. I came here to report back at what parliamentarians in their wisdom have resolved. Now I’m here just to formally let you know”. The president said he felt he would be making a fool of himself if he kept on repeating what has been said before.

He said in Maun that plans were being made to “reallocate” people living in close proximity to bars so that normal family life can be continued without “the curse of alcohol” interfering with their lives. Mogae also said lodges and hotels would have to abide by new opening hours for bars and restaurants. There would be no exceptions. He said Parliament had resolved that bars should be open from 5pm until 11pm so that after these stipulated times, people will be able to go home and be with their families. The measure was withdrawn by the responsible Minister after complaints of insufficient consultation  He felt sorry for people who would lose their jobs “but we are not going to let multitudes of people die.”

The proposed amendment to the Liquor Act was deferred earlier this year after parliament adopted a motion that the Act be deffered pending further consultation.  Land Boards are also being told to review their policies so that they do not allocate plots for bars near schools, churches and hospitals “because innocent people are being disturbed for no good reasons . . .plans are underway to relocate those who are already near such places.”  In Gumare, his response to questions and comments showed that Mogae did not take lightly some of the comments and finger pointing directed at him. According Mogae the elections for the extended House of Chiefs will be for representatives and not paramount chiefs and they will be expected to represent the regions they come from and not any particular tribe.

“Representation is democracy,” he said, and although he also believed the public at large should be involved in the elections, the majority in his government thought otherwise, “ so I lost out because in a democracy the majority rules.” Mogae said as a Republican he believes even the Chiefs should be elected but he has gone along with the majority.

An agitated Mogae said at the end of the day, “we are all Batswana” when brushing aside allegations that some tribes were being marginalized, saying there is no such thing in Botswana. Swearing by the words “Ka rre le rrago”, won the support of many in his response as it was clear he did not condone any form of tribalism. Mogae told Bayei that they should not hold grudges on things that happened a long time ago as they are now water under the bridge.

Mogae dodges residents’ ‘ambush’ over Bayei

By Bright Kholi

GUMARE – It was obvious from the start of this week’s kgotla addressed by President Festus Mogae at Gumare that residents had waited patently to “ambush” him over the vexed question of the Bayei chieftainship.

After a long day speaking at an earlier kgotla at Shakawe and at the Gumare rural administration Centre, Mogae was patently agitated as questions were asked.

Mogae arrived at the kgotla shortly before 4 pm – about two hours later than the advertised starting time – to address the people on the proposed amendment of Section 77, 78 and 79 of the Constitution and the amended Trade and Liquor Act. Before his arrival, some of the crowd was saying they “were ready” for him as they needed answers regarding the chieftainship issue. “I am going to tell Mogae to take us seriously,” said an elderly man.

After delivering his speech, the packed kgotla was given the opportunity to ask questions and make comments. A resident condemned the amendments to the Constitution, saying there was no way Chiefs, sub chiefs,  headmen of record and arbitration could elect regional representatives to the House of Chiefs, but rather the entire electorate should do so.

Under the proposed law, the House of Chiefs will be increased from 15 members to 35, paramount chiefs included. The others will be elected from various regions to represent those regions but not as paramount chiefs.

The resident told Mogae this was bound to cause conflicts between Dikgosi and their subordinates and the principles of democracy would be totally ignored if the representatives were to be elected only by a certain group of people. The resident reminded him that the Balopi Commission that looked at the three sections of the Constitution, was a result of the Bayei chieftainship case.

“We have our paramount chief whom we elected and we won’t vote again,” he said. Residents did not mince their words, telling Mogae he should have known that the territory he was in was for the Bayei and called on him to listen to what people say and not what his government thinks. “You should know that we can easily take the presidency from you and give it to somebody else,” said one resident.

They also commented that they have been subjects of the Batawana, adding that they do not want to be under any tribe as they have they their own Kgosi, and insisted that their area should be treated differently.

President Festus Mogae

Currently there are eight paramount chiefs in the country from the eight major tribes - Bangwato, Batawana, Batlokwa, Bakgatla, Bangwaketse, Balete, Bakwena and Barolong.

On issues of the new Trade and Liquor Act, which calls for the operating hours of bars to be from 5pm to 11pm during the week, Mogae received a lot of support. The bars will also be getting closed at midnight on weekends and remain closed on Sundays.

They agreed that alcohol abuse was a result of many social ills in society, and called for the alcohol content in beer to be reduced while others suggested raising the prices of alcohol as a potential deterrent to alcohol abuse. They also called for shebeens to licensed. Responding to the questions and comments, it was clear that Mogae did not take lightly to some of the comments and finger pointing directed at him.

According to him, the House of Chiefs elections will be for representatives and not paramount chiefs and they will be expected to represent the regions they come and from not any particular tribe - “Representation is democracy,” he said, adding he had also believe that the public at large should be involved in the elections, but the majority thought otherwise, “so I lost out because in a democracy the majority rules.”

Mogae said as a Republican he believes even Chiefs should be elected but he has to go with the majority. An agitated Mogae said at the end of the day “we are all Batswana.” He brushed aside allegations that some tribes were being marginalised, saying there is no such thing in Botswana.

Swearing by the words “Ka rre le rrago” Mogae won the support of many in his response as it was clear he did not condone any form of tribalism, telling the Bayei that they should not hold grudges on that happened a long time ago as that was now water under the bridge.

In the middle of his response, he was advised that his aircraft would not be able to take off unless he and his official party left the kgotla within 15 minutes. To this, Mogae replied it was already late and he had to respond to questions. “We will rather drive to Maun after this meeting,” he said. The meeting ended at 7pm.

Mogae spells out new bar hours for all

By Basadi Morokotso

The much talked about  proposed amendments to the  Liquor Act  were received with mixed feelings when President Festus Mogae told a Maun kgotla this week the purpose of the meeting was  to ask for support on  what  cabinet has agreed on.

He however said he and some members of parliament needed back up from the public and assured them that they are not stopping the use of alcohol but rather looking at ways that may help fight alcohol abuse. Mogae said the nation was losing educated people who have become victims of the abuse and as such they have lost lives and most families have suffered.

He said conflicts within families, house break-ins, rape and so forth are all the results of mismanagement of oneself after taking alcoholic drinks, lamenting that even those on antiretroviral treatment took alcoholic drinks soon after they feel they are “in a good state”

This was a drawback because the government is fighting tooth and nail to help those affected and infected.

Mogae said they are not succeeding as a government because the same alcoholics seek the assistance of lawyers soon after been penalised for wrongdoing and being a nuisance and that lawyers always claim their clients “were made to do wrong because they were under the influence of alcohol.”

Parliament resolved that bars should be open from 5pm until 11pm so that after these stipulated times, people will be able to go home and be with their families.

He urged Land Boards to review policies and not allocate plots for bars near schools, churches and hospitals “because innocent people are being disturbed for no good reasons.” Plans are underway to relocate those who are already near such places.

On other issues, the president talked about the election of members of the House of Chiefs and said the public is not going to be allowed to randomly elect whoever they feel fit to join the House. He said only chiefs, sub-chiefs, headmen of records and arbitration will be allowed to vote and said they should be in a position to elect people who are familiar with African law and custom. The North West District will be divided into four regions for the purpose.

At question time, businessman John Wellio said the inflation of the pula will do a lot of help because in the near future not everyone will afford high prices. Wellio said records from the Kgalagadi Breweries indicated their trade had fallen off by 17%, which is an indication that slowly but surely the message of the reduction of alcohol is becoming very clear to a good number of people.

Kgosi Rabosigo said  he felt no more permits should be issued for the establishment of  bar because order cannot be maintained and that many had fallen victims to youth who terrorise people at night and steal valuables and hard earned cash.

A bar owner said he does not agree with the new law and that their businesses are going to suffer a great deal because they are going to have to retrench people. Wright said they got loans from CEDA which need to be paid back and wondered how they are going to do so.

When answering, the president said he felt pity for those who are going to lose when the law comes into effect, but added lodges and hotels will also have to abide by the new law and that they are not going to be allowed to operate after the stipulated bar opening hours.

Row stops destroying of Disaneng trees

Chinese contractors working on the Disaneng gravel road in Maun have been told by the Road department to stop uprooting trees as the area is part of the Okavango delta Ramsar site.

Conservationists and residents have been protesting to the Roads department and to the Assistant Minister of Works and Transport, Frank Ramsden, that wilful damage was being caused, and suspected that no permits - as required by law - had been issued for the removal of trees in the path of the road, which is to be tarred at a cost of millions of pula. Dozens of trees have already been uprooted by bulldozers and other heavy equipment.

There was also concern that the road being constructed by China Jiangsung Construction was too close to the Maun Wildlife Sanctuary/Letswee Centre for Environmental Education, and that the ecology of the area was being seriously disturbed as well as causing distress to animals there.

An inspector of works on site, Ephriam Maoto, told The Ngami Times complaints had been registered with him, and these had been referred by Ramsden to the Chief Technical Officer (CTO), D Kegaisamang, who said he saw “nothing wrong with the road.”

The delta was declared an international Ramsar site several years ago in order to preserve the wetlands, the world’s largest inland delta which covers 15 000 sq.km and contains 955 of Botswana’s surface water.. A request for an interview with Roads department consultant M Teberezi was turned down.

* The Ngami Times was not able to obtain comment from the North West District Council as the Council Secretary, Paulos Nkoni, has banned NWDC employees from being interviewed by this newspaper.

Good inflow of water

Flood waters entering the Okavango River and delta are at their highest for almost four years – but nowhere near levels reached before 2003. According to the latest Department of Water Affairs figures for the inflow at Mohembo from Angola and Namibia, water is pumping through at just under 400 cusecs. The highest recorded so far this year is about 430 cusecs.

An indication of the amount of water flowing into the Boro and Thamalakane rivers is the extent to which it has already started to spread across both rivers.

There has been permanent water in both rivers due to heavy rains earlier this year, which meant that for the first time in two years the rivers did not dry up prior to the wet season. It appears that the flood will begin to tail off during July.

Good complains to human rights commission

GABORONE - Professor Kenneth good, who was deported from Botswana for criticising, it is believed, the presidential succession, has lodged a complaint with the African Human Rights and People’s Commission.

A report in a Gaborone newspaper this week said that the government had been advised and that the case had already started in Banjul, in The Gambia.

Quoting the deputy attorney-general, Abraham Keetshabe, the newspaper said that Good “is basically challenging the presidential decision to declare him a prohibited immigrant. Our position is that he has no legitimate complaint.” A ruling on Botswana’s submission that Good does not have a case is being awaited.

Editorial

Shot in the foot

A government Assistant Minister speaking in Maun has said that Batswana should make foreigners “feel out of place” and that foreigners should be told this is not their country.

Oops. That could boomerang on the politician as the government is right now dramatically wooing foreigners to invest in Botswana. The President himself has just been to Japan to plead with the Japanese to use Botswana for manufacturing, and he has led trade delegations to European countries and to South Africa.

The message has always been the same – Botswana is open for business.

It takes a junior minister, whose views would appear to be steeped in xenophobia, to unfortunately knock down that perception as foreign investors, and particularly the really big ones are not going to stand for being made to “feel out of place.”

After all, their money is the United States dollar, and whatever one may say, Botswana needs those dollars for improved self-sufficiency.

A whipping boy?

Stern warnings were issued last week by Tourism minister Kitso Mokaila when he gave a few blunt warnings to the industry’s safari operators and other stakeholders about employment practices, discrimination against Batswana, and dodging of payments of taxes and levies.

The latter point is a hardy annual, brought up by Vice-President Ian Khama and complained about fairly often by the Finance ministry .There can be no doubt that there is now concern in the industry as for years little has been done to change the status quo.

Some may look upon his warnings as “we only want Batswana to run the industry” but we believe that is not the case. All he is doing is to draw attention to the problems and hopefully the industry will regulate itself, as he suggested.

THE MAUN SHUFFLE

It’s terribly sad that a top sports administrator in Botswana has been found out for selling his free World Cup tickets in order to improve his bank balance.

The actions of Ismail Bhamjee, former President of the Botswana football Association (BFA) and now Honorary President, as well as a former secretary-general of the Botswana Olympic Association and treasurer of Africa’s association of Olympic Committees, was kicked out of the World Cup by no less a person that FIFA president Sepp Blatter after he had admitted selling 12 tickets, pocketing lots of money in the process.

Blatter was reported as saying he was “furious” at the actions of Bhamjee, who is an executive committee member of FIFA, a member of its Finance committee, and a leading figure in the organisation’s Associations committee.

Bhamjee was stripped of his accreditation to the World Cup and relieved from his post as match commissioner in Frankfurt. In other words, he is (or was) a top official in world soccer. Bhamjee hasn’t denied the story – he admitted it to FIFA and said so in a statement to the media when he expressed his “regrets.”

The BFA is already appealing for calm as this sad situation impacts heavily on Botswana’s reputation for fair play. The scandal comes soon after similar events have been taking place in Italy, and according to the BBC’s Panorama TV programmer, also in Trinidad and Tobago, in the Caribbean. It all goes to show, doesn’t it, that things are not quite right in world soccer.

**

Isn’t it amazing how small towns like Maun can do so well in various fields! Our athletes compete in the Olympic Games, great performances are recorded by chess players, karate exponents, boxers, and many others.

The cultural variety found here is breathtaking. The latest was at the weekend when The Sports Bar and Restaurant celebrated its 11th birthday – and the community turned out for a great night of fun at our home-grown version of the Grammys. As Shuffle’s friend Betty Toteng said: “Where else do you get this?” That is certainly true. Being a small town, we all have to pull together and make a success of things

People were asked to dress as a “musical personality”, and Shuffle found the majority of the crowd had done so – we had Dean Martin, the Abba Group, Little Sister, Elvis Presley and the like on the stage belting out some of the world’s best-known lyrics.  Watching them were impresarios, stage and screen personalities, Dolly Parton (doing the lighting) . . . mothers wouldn’t have recognised some of the best-known faces in town under the make-up and costumes they were wearing! An awesome night and may Shuffle add, some awesome sights, too!

**

A few more smiles for these days of rising fuel prices, the war on terror, odd views of government ministers, and just plain getting up and going to work on cold mornings!

Shuffle is indebted to “The Lion”, a magazine published by Lions Clubs International, for the following:

* Kid to teacher in classroom: “Sorry I’m late but my bike had a flat, so I borrowed my dad’s car. Then I couldn’t find a place to park when I got here.”

* There was once a very tall sangoma who complained that he was unable to cast any spells because he was short staffed.

* Fishermen don’t actually tell lie . . . they just get their lines tangled.

* A college student came home for the weekend and his mother commented on how tired he looked. “Let me fix you some papa,” she said. “Thanks, ma,” he said as he flopped down on the chair. “I’m really worn out. My PC broke and I had to do all my own thinking last week!”

Onks Times  Beat

How to start all over again

The person you love more than anything in the world has left .Your heart aches and you are having endless sleepless nights you’ve lost appetite for anything.You are completely caught in grief, you are angry at what they have done to you, you feel you don’t deserve such treatment. But you know that going back would be a mistake.You want to move on with your life but you are thinking to yourself “how can i do that?”

First of all,you may have suffered some degree of loss when your last relationship ended,which is normal. It’s important to let yourself experience the grief and all the feelings associated with it and this takes time. Do not force yourself to forget but rather let it flow.Make sure you have no unfinished business with your ex partner because  it is impossible to hold on and let go at the same time, like allowing your ex to call or stop un-announced to check on you. If you are sure about moving on, make sure the strings are cut for good.

Avoid finding yourself in a mess that other people find themselves in and that is dating for emotional revenge or to prove your eligibility. If you want to date for those  reasons,then you must know that you are not over your ex yet. Instead of fulfilment ,you may end up being hurt because the point that you wanted to prove may be proven otherwise.

This may also create an obstacle to your new relationship as your relationship won’t be based on true intentions.You may end up being nuisance to your new partner as you will be so fragile. Note, a new partner won’t fix what is broken in your life but may temporarily distract you from your present heartache which may eventually catch up with you. Clean up the mess in your house before inviting company over.

First things first,work on your self image since your appearance is important.When you look your best, you feel your best. If you can get a complete makeover. Sometimes,after an unhappy relationship ends,you walk away with a temporarily damaged self -esteem. Don’t forget how much you have to offer the world and what a great catch you are. The real you isn’t the same as your ex lover’s bitter perspective of you. So pick yourself  up first before you expect someone else to give you a high price  tag.

Deal with feelings of desperation and loneliness. It is normal to feel lonely and long for someone to love you and assure you that you are still one of the living on this planet. Such feelings may drive you to grab the first Tom that comes your way to take away your loneliness. That Tom knows that you are desperate and very vulnerable.What he/she does is to go for what they want from you because you are not in a state of refusing. If it is sex ,then they will get it from you and then disappear. If it is money ,they will get.The feelings you will have after are self-hatred .You will feel like everybody else thinks you are not worthy to be loved,when you could have avoided it.

LAUGH  A WHILE:

YOU KNOW YOU ARE BLACK IF...

¨ You unwrap all your gifts carefully, so that you can re-use the wrappings.

¨More than 90% of the music CD’s and cassettes in your home are illegal copies.

¨You teach others swear  words in your language

¨When you are young ,your parents buy you clothes at least two sizes bigger so   that they last longer. 

‘Golden Tooth’ gets off after police confusion
By Golang Raditsela

Metlha “Golden Tooth” Maphanyane, who had been an accused in a break-in committed at the Department of Civil Aviation offices at Maun airport, walked free this week after magistrate Nsikelelo Moyo declared that he has been acquitted and discharged.

The matter was before the court for a ruling following confusion in the prosecution’s case. Maphanyane was faced with charges of office braking and theft, after the late Constantine “Horse” Motlhabi had told police they had been together at the time of the break-in.

Motlhabi later changed his story in Maphanyane’s presence, saying that he committed the crime alone. Police however again arrested Maphanyane, who was held in custody. The grounds for the arrest were different from the prosecutor and criminal investigator’s viewpoints.

The prosecutor said Maphanyane was arrested because his fingerprints matched those which were taken at the scene of crime while the investigator said he was arrested because of information received from Motlhabi. Moyo said in a situation where the evidence connecting the case with the crime to support the conviction “is manifestly unreliable, contradictory, or discredited in cross examination,” then the accused must be acquitted.  He said in a case such as Maphanyane’s, it was necessary that evidence acquired from the prosecution has to link to the offence, adding that in this case there was not any link.

Moyo also said evidence cannot be supplied by speculation or suspicion, and one cannot make any conclusion from multiple suspicions. The prosecution had failed to produce quality evidence and in that case there is no linkage between the accused and the commission of the crime.

Mogae’s plane experiences go on and on

GUMARE - Aircraft carrying the country’s President Festus Mogae seem to be jinxed!

His presidential jet OK1 had a cracked windshield while flying to Sweden recently and on Monday, the Botswana Defence Force plane carrying him and his party from Shakawe to a Gumare kgotla burst a tyre on landing at the Gumare airport. The tyre had to be replaced while the president was addressing a kgotla, and he finally took off for Maun from the unlit airport at about 8pm.

No one suffered any injuries during the incident. Some months ago, the president had to use a commercial airline to travel to the Far East after it was found that OK1 was not airworthy for the long journey.

It is believed there are plans to purchase a new presidential jet.

Threat to ‘crush chief magistrate’s head’

An accused in a rape case threatened in the Maun magistrate’s court this week to “crush with a stone the head of the town’s chief magistrate. “If you are not willing to transfer my case to another magistrate who is willing to proceed with it in justice, I will crush your little head with a stone,” an angry accused Keloreng Mosabata, a middle aged man of Sedie ward, before the chief magistrate Tshegofatso Mogomotsi during the mention of the rape case.

Prosecutor Isaac Mamadi told the court Mosabata had been on the run after being granted bail at an earlier hearing, and told to report to the Maun police station until the trial was over. He absconded to Dukwi, where he was later arrested. He gave the court excuses of the magistrate being unfair and unjust in his trial, saying this was the reason why he had run away.

In response to his plea, the magistrate said the transfer to another magistrate would not be possible since she had already started with the case.  The magistrate’s response angered him and he said: “If justice is not done, I will refuse to co-operate and you will have to sentence me on my absence”.

He promised to misbehave before the magistrate and threatened to crush her “little head” with a stone because he considered the magistrate “enjoyed” seeing him being imprisoned. Mosabata was in leg irons and was taken back to prison before the case ended.

The court heard said that Mosabata has four cases pending before different magistrates - two for rape and one each for burglary and unlawful possession of dagga.

Maun BMC to remain closed
By Bright Kholi

GUMARE - President Festus Mogae says it is highly unlikely that the Maun BMC abattoir will be re-opened, and there is also no guarantee that the Francistown abattoir will remain open for long.

He said this in Gumare this week when responding to calls for the Maun abattoir to be opened years after it was closed due to the cattle lung disease outbreak that decimated Ngamiland herds. He was told “the whole of North West District” has recovered following the eradication of over 300 000 head of cattle.  Farmers maintained that while the number of cattle had increased over the years, they have problems in finding markets and that in selling their cattle to the Francistown BMC, they face many difficulties.

It was also said that many cattle die before they even reached BMC, while some loose a lot of weight at the quarantine camp in Makalamabedi. They pleaded with the government to consider re-opening the Maun abattoir. In response, Mogae the Maun BMC will not open as there were many challenges that the meat industry faced. The major buyers of Botswana beef were putting introducing many regulations which he says have over the years cost government millions of pula to meet.

One was the animal identification bolus which he said had cost the government over P70- million, while others were outbreaks of disease which lead to closures of abattoirs as well as ending exportation of beef.

“Currently the government has loaned BMC over P200-million so that the Francistown abattoir remains open,” he said, adding that  remains unknown whether BMC will be able to repay the loan. Mogae said a situation might arise where the Francistown abattoir had to be closed as well.

Sex offences rampant across country

GABORONE – Police are hunting men across the country who have violated young children in a spate of sexual assaults.

This week, police booked 14 men in various parts of the country for sexually abusing minors and teenagers.In one of the cases, reported at Werda, a 44 year old man was arrested for allegedly raping two girls aged 7 and 8 one after the other on the same day. In another case, an 18 year old man was arrested at Rakops for alleged sexual assault on a four-year-old child. The child had been left in the care of the suspect.

“Cases of sexual assault on minors and teenagers were rampant in the police administrative district of the south Central Division,” said a statement from Police headquarters.  The division stretches from Serowe to Gaborone. The division had listed seven cases of sexual assault on minors and teenagers with three recorded at Mahalapye while Mogoditshane police are investigating two cases and Palapye, one.

Four men were arrested for 1‘6 rape cases reported during last week.  The suspects, aged between 16 and 44, allegedly committed the offences between 6pm and 10pm.

Police are also looking for a man who attempted to rape a 35 year old woman in Mochudi who had been promised employment. She was rescued by a passerby and the suspect fled.

                FNB puts smiles on Bana Ba Naga

First National Bank of Botswna CEO Danny Zandamela, presents a cheque to Angela Morgan, of Bana Ba Naga. By Bright Kholi

The First National Bank Foundation this week donated P100 000 to the Children in the Wilderness (Bana ba Naga) programme. The donation was made by the Chief Executive Officer of First National bank of Botswana, Danny Zandamela, at Crocodile Camp. Handing over the cheque, Zandamela said the funds will be used to cover the cost of hosting two groups of children for a six-day camp in the Okavango Delta.

The FNBB Foundation was established by the FNB board of Directors in 2001 as a Trust Fund and its purpose is to aid beneficiaries in need of and deserving assistance. “FNB contributes 1% of its after tax profits annually to the Foundation and contributions to date are in excess of P6.5 million,” Zandamela said.

He said they offer support in areas of community education, job creation, skills development, arts and culture, community sports and recreation and needy communities especially under-privileged children, adding that to date they have covered areas such as Otse, Molepolole, Shakawe, Moroka, and Palapye.

He also said that the funding of Bana Ba Naga was two-fold as “we are responding to a growing need to provide quality early childhood development services to children whose normal childhood has been interrupted and disrupted by poor health.” He said the other is to help Batswana children to learn more about the wonderfully unique environment around them while at the same time developing life skills and leadership capabilities.

He said FNB Botswana will continue to support projects of this nature all over the country. The Member of Parliament for Maun West, Ronald Ridge, commended Wilderness Safaris for coming up with humanitarian concepts and action programs to assist children. He also commended FNB Foundation for supporting such initiatives.

The Executive Director of Bana Ba Naga Botswana, Angela Morgan, also thanked FNB for “this most generous sponsorship.” She said it was a great honour to have gained the support of such a reputable and locally based foundation.

           Maun parade honours Africa’s children

These young women won people’s attention as they were the queens of the day after they won a beauty contest held at Maun Senior Secondary School on June 16, the Day of the African Child. In the middle is Bontle Morris who was crowned Queen, and she said that children deserved to be protected as they are precious leaders of Botswana. Morris says she intends to teach children about youth empowerment and to sensitise them to different issues such as HIV/AIDS.

By Kesegofetse Sentsima

Maun residents flooded the streets on June 16 to commemorate the Day of an African Child with a parade of dedicated citizens.

This annual celebration commemorates the June 16 schoolchildren demonstrations that ended in a massacre in Soweto, South Africa, in 1976. Leading the walk was the Minister of Local Government, Margaret Nasha, and the theme was the right to protection: “Stop violence against children”.

Other guests included Ngamiland district commissioner Bernadette Malala, and the MP for Maun West, Ronald Ridge. Dominating the crowd were many students from different schools who came to support the motion.

Giving a vivid and informative speech was a young girl from Leapotswe Primary School,  Gorata Radithupa, who strongly opposed violence imposed on children, warning the public about the vulnerability of children to bad situations. She said that, the fact that most African children were born without silver spoons in their mouths does not give parents a guarantee to deprive them of their needs. She further noted that in creating a bond with their children, parents will be able to provide them with love, care and support they need.

A song that touched many hearts was given by Happy Home Academy pupils who emphasised their need for protection with the message “Flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds of today”. Nasha said “we should protect our children as they cannot protect themselves”.

She recalled incidents in Africa where children are subjected to torture, neglected, and abused adding that in some countries children roam the streets with guns, vigilant actions are targeted to them, some are sold to sex slavery, or and put in prisons where they meet with experienced criminals who introduce them to new tactics turning them into hot-headed criminals. Nasha said children should be guided and shown a way to live like proper human beings. All cases involving abuse of children, however minor, should be immediately reported, giving an example where 70% of reported cases were withdrawn by irresponsible parents after being bribed by accused.

She added that sitting back and pretending that we do not know that children are abused shows a sign of irresponsibility. She urged the media to consider and include children affairs in their writings and that day carers should stop taking advantage of the opportunity. She was unhappy she was with the absence of most parents.

The Kabelano Trust presented a cheque last weekend to Mochudi Resource Centre for  Blind Children at a cocktail party which was the start of the initial phase of the OrangeKabelano Charity Cup soccer competition, which will be held on July 29 in Gaborone.

Times Art & About

Night the ‘stars’ came to town!

It is amazing to think that Maun’s small community can stage big events like those that year-in-and-year-out celebrate the birthday of the Sports Bar Restaurant and Bar.

It happened again at the weekend when revellers were treated to the first Maun Grammys, and what a success it was. People, mostly dressed up as “musical personalities”, crammed into the venue to perform, see and hear some fine acts being put on by local residents. There were 15 items on the programme – all performed in (and needless to say with) the spirit that has become a landmark of local musical productions.

Maun’s own version of ABBA belt out the hits songs of the 1970s

On stage were such entertainers as Abba – they eventually won the main award – and having seen the real Abba live in their heyday, the local group gave a remarkable performance that may well have given the real Abba a run for their money all those years ago. The “Swedish girls” looked great while the guys backed them up beautifully. There were so many fine performances that it is impossible to focus on each separately so all one can do is say “well done” to a great crowd of performers. As has become normal practice at events of this nature, Glen made a first class MC and performer while Dolly Parton (ssh! no telling the name) gingerly and with chest heaving made it up and down the steep ladder to the gantry to control the lighting and the background music. Jens handmade all the Grammy awards presented to each act and to each performer, as well as a special one that went to Fano and Yvette. He in turn was presented with a special award for the hard work he put in. The evening ended with a buffet supper, dancing and karaoke – NC

‘Face of Africa’ links with top agency

The stakes have been raised in this year’s Nokia Face of Africa model search as M-Net revealed that the winner of the 2006 competition will receive a 3-year, US$ 150 000 (about P800 000) modelling contract from Elite Model Management, New York. Founded in 1971 by John Casablancas and originally based in Paris, Elite relocated to New York after six years. 

Elite has maintained its position as one of the undisputed leaders in its field, launching the careers of Stephanie Seymour, Cindy Crawford, Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz, Andie McDowell, Linda Evangelista, Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and Tyra Banks. With over 30 years of experience, processing over five million bookings, Elite remains at the forefront of the industry. 

 Head of M-Net Local Productions, Carl Fischer, welcomed Elite’s involvement in the Nokia Face of Africa project. “Elite’s pedigree speaks for itself – the agency represents some of the biggest names in the fashion world, and will help us put African models on the international map,” he said.

 Cathy Gould, Executive Director at Elite Model Management New York, sees the agency’s involvement as a step towards building a strong relationship between Elite and the African continent. “Elite Model Management New York is excited to part of the Nokia Face of Africa initiative again and is delighted to add Africa to our scouting network,” says Gould.

Meanwhile, Nokia Face of Africa 2005 winner Kaone Kario, of Maun, continues to grow in catwalk status. The energetic young model, who was signed to Storm Models as a part of her prize package, recently moved to Zero Models in Cape Town and is continuing to win fans for her dynamic presence and go-getting attitude.

The first episode of the Nokia Face of Africa 2006 model search will be broadcast on M-Net on July 23, with the final broadcast live from Sun City, South Africa, on M-Net on 13 August.

Soccer shocked by Bhamjee’s actions

Botswana football has been severely shaken by the expulsion of the Botswana Foo0tball Association’s honorary president Ismail Bhamjee from the FIFA World Cup. He has admitted to selling tickets to the competition at three times the value of the tickets. After confessing, Bhamjee – chairman of the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) - said: “I have been a fool. Spare me”.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was “furious” and told Bhamjee to immediately leave the World Cup. He also stripped Bhamjee of his accreditation and as match commissioner based in Frankfurt. FIFA was tipped off about Bhamjee by a British journalist from the “Mail on Sunday” newspaper after he allegedly told people in an Indian restaurant in Frankfurt that he had tickets to sell, also saying he knew where the 2014 World Cup would be staged (the 2010 event is scheduled for South Africa).

The journalist said he was having dinner at a nearby table when someone shouted “Brazil” and when the journalist asked the person (Bhamjee) how he knew, Bhamjee allegedly replied: “Because I’m FIFA”.

Bhamjee returned to Botswana on Tuesday and immediately went into a closed door meeting with BFA executives.  By the time of going to press, no statement had been issued. The BFA said this week in a statement signed by its president, Thabo Ntshinogang, and vice-president (administration), Segolame Lekoko Ramotlhwa, that the BFA “is shocked and saddened” by the news of Bhamjee’s actions.

“We await his arrival from Germany at which point further clarification on the matter shall hopefully be obtained,” the statement read. It urged for calmness “on the part of the nation and the football family.”

The BFA said that it would “treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves and make a formal statement once we have gathered all the facts.” It is understood that the association has already consulted the Department of sport, administered by the Ministry of Labour, about the matter.

In admitting he had sold the tickets – valued at US$127 (about P890) each for US$380 (about P2 667) each – for a total of P39 120, Bhamjee said: “I deeply regret this incorrect decision and apologise to FIFA for violating the relevant terms and conditions governing the sale of tickets for the World Cup.”

Ismail Bhamjee

Bhamjee is an executive member of FIFA, having been elected in 1998, and so far has not been striped of his position “pending further action”.

Bhamjee was a former president of the BFA – whose patron is vice-president Ian Khama - and appointed its only honorary president several years ago. He is a former secretary-general of the Botswana Olympic Committee (1979-1988) and treasurer of Africa’s Association of National Olympic Committees between 1989 and 2001. He is deputy chairman of FIFA’s Association committee and a member of its Finance committee. He is paid about P586 980 a year as an executive committee member of FIFA, P2 935 every day that he travelled on FIFA business and was getting an extra P2 800 a day while attending the World Cup. He was also getting a pension.

Team Projects move up the log

Team Projects, of Wenela, Maun, defeated Shorobe’s Desert Sky to move to 4th spot after Delta League Division A games over the weekend.

Team Projects has 11 points from three wins, two draws and three loses for the games they have played so far. Both teams struggled to find the back of the net even though they visited each other’s goals quite often.

After half time, both teams made several changes that worked positively for Team Projects as substitute Samuel Fisher finished classically following a cross by Baps Bapaletswe. Fisher was at it again when he scored his second goal of the day. Desert Sky now trail the log with three points acquired from their three draws.

In another match, log leaders Desert Wind put up a splendid performance when they crushed Shashe United 3-0. Delta League results: Desert Wind 3 Shashe United 0; Kutlwano 3 Big Five 0; Maphane United 3 Delta Eagles 2; Crocodile 3 Rough Riders 0; Desert Sky 0 Team Projects 2; Delta Wanders 0 BOP 0.

Fixtures: Saturday (June 24) - Delta Wanderers v Crocodile (12noon), Maphane United v Desert Sky (2pm), Black X1 v Big Five (4pm).Sunday: Delta Eagles v Shashe United (12 non), Rough Riders v BOP (2pm), Liverpool v Desert Wind (4pm).

Edition 319 June 16 - 23, 2006

Begorrah!  Scottish kilts and all at a Botswana wedding . . . Moshe Seloko (the groom’s in the centre of this picture with the red kerchief in his top pocket) decided he wanted to look the part of the laird when he married Masego Mmusi in the gardens of the Marang Hotel in Francistown recently. Seloko, a finance manager, kitted out his wedding party in traditional Highland kilts, which after all is the cultural dress of Scotland. Haggis was not on the menu but we are sure good Scotch malt whisky would have been imbibed somewhere during the reception!

TOURISM SHAKE UP

The government has made an unprecedented attack on safari camps and operators, accusing them of discrimination against Batswana employees and guests, and of not supporting the local economy

It is the government’s first major attack on tourism operations in Botswana, and particularly in the Okavango delta and Chobe. The Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Environment, Kitso Mokaila, spelled it out in no uncertain terms to safari operators and tourism stakeholders at a Tourism Pitso in Gaborone this week that the government would not tolerate discrimination.

The industry however reacted by giving him facts and figures, and refuted generalised claims of discrimination and untrained expatriate camp managers, and also attacked the poor service provided by national airline Air Botswana.

The pitso also heard that tourist guide books are now telling would-be visitors not to camp in Maun and that safari companies are not prepared to risk their clients overnighting in the town because of the crime situation.

The pitso heard that Embassies and High Commissions are also advising their nationals not to travel to Botswana on holiday - “tourists are soft targets and they are not prepared to appear in court,” Patrick Penstone, of the mobile safaris sector, said.

Mokaila’s remarks were listened to by many operators whom, he said, gave the impression that “foreigners ran the tourism industry.” Mokaila said “another disturbing issue was the failure by the industry to employ Batswana managers in their lodges” as it is common practice for some lodges to employ young unqualified foreigners as managers when they have Batswana employees who are said to have the necessary qualifications and experience to occupy such positions.

He urged the industry to pay attention to this as “it has the potential to sour relations not only between employers and employees but also between employers and Batswana in general.”

Most operators have reservations and administrative offices outside the country to the extent that even domestic tourists have to make their reservations outside the country- “whilst I acknowledge that this might make economic sense to the operators, it heightens the perception that Botswana’s tourism is foreign owned and dominated.

“We do not see why it is still necessary for Batswana and local residents going on holiday locally to make their hotel reservations outside the country and it was no longer a secret that this prevailing practice by some operators facilitated the leakage of tourism revenue from Botswana.”

Mokaila said he was concerned about lodges that turned Batswana away from their facilities, adding “this is something we cannot tolerate and I would like you to be particularly sensitive to this.”

He also told the Pitso that the high number of vehicles going into prime tourism destinations sparked concerns of environmental degradation. This caused overcrowding at a particular sighting (of wild animals) and overcrowding at Chobe,

Disaneng shooting range to be moved

By Lets Open

A shooting range which has over the years become surrounded in Disaneng ward by residential developments and a school is to move to a new site on the Boro. Residents have spoken out about rifle shooting in which live ammunition was used and the dangers this posed.

Delta Waters International School previously complained to the Botswana wildlife Training Institute about shooting practice during examination times as “our children were not able to concentrate when hearing gunshots,” said deputy principal Ferdinand Berkhof.

The principal of the BWTI, Mpiga Mangubuli, told The Ngami Times this week that residents had not to his knowledge complained to the Institute. “We are aware of the danger posed by the range. The village has grown quickly and because of that we have acquired land in the Boro area for a new range. The current range is in any event outdated and the land due for development. It is surrounded by cattle
posts, homes and government buildings such as the new district hospital,” Mangubuli said. The new range will be suitable for small arms and other weaponry used by Wildlife scouts and other government departments.

Tourism sector wants specific approach

By Bright Kholi

The tourism sector feels that while it is vital for government to raise its concerns with regard to the industry, and that a more specific approach would be best. Speaking during interviews with The Ngami Times following the Tourism Pitso in Gaborone this week, spokesmen for various sectors described the meeting as “very fruitful” and provided a good platform for all those involved to discuss issues of concern and chart the way forward.

Patrick Penstone, of the Mobile safaris sector, said that the reaction to the meeting was positive as the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Kitso Mokaila, highlighted issues of concern that were also cleared up.

Penstone said the issue of ill treatment of employees had to be addressed with the concerned operators and that with evidence, it would be easy to bring prosecutions. With regard to the issue of the sector employing foreign unqualified and managers, Penstone said that it may be due to the fact that the managers had better training in the field than local candidates.

He said “it cannot be true” that the managers are not qualified for the jobs. He also refuted allegations that some camps have a tendency of turning away citizens from their camps and lodges. He said a camp was different in that “one does not just show up at the camp and do the booking.” Penstone said some local people do their bookings when the camps are already fully booked, and when told the camp is full they then assume that they are being turned away.

“A camp is not like a hotel where you get to the reception and get a room there and then. Some operators are already taking bookings for 2009,” he said. Penstone has called on different government departments to communicate, and know exactly what the other is doing to better help the industry.

Grant Woodrow, who represented hotels and lodges at the pitso, said the perception of racism in the industry may not be as big a problem as it is claimed. If the problem does exist, specific individuals should be pulled out and brought to justice. He also mentioned that disciplining employees can sometimes be perceived to be racism or ill treating workers.

He also refuted allegations of employing unqualified foreign managers saying “we do not employ unqualified staff. They may be young but they are qualified”, adding that those who do employ foreigners without work permits should be brought to book as labour laws were specific.

One problem the industry faced now is in the processing of work permits which, he said, takes too long, but added that the Pitso gave them the opportunity to air their views to the relevant authorities.

Woodrow also said that currently, lodges in Botswana were expensive and recognised government’s intention in calling them to be accessible to Batswana. It is the prices charged by camps and lodges in the delta that cannot be afforded by most Batswana. He also said the sector raised their concerns about delays by national carrier Air Botswana, saying these had a negative impact on the industry. The response they got from Air Botswana was that the organisation was going private and that their fleet was old. Woodrow says the industry has called for a “one-stop shop” for government departments to avoid a situation whereby they have to go from one office to the other to get anything done.

Chantal Mantel, who represented the air charter sector, said their main concern was the poor facilities at Maun airport. She said while neighbouring countries were excelling in such facilities, Maun airport -which is the home base to over 40% of the country’s aircraft - remained stagnant. The sector made a call to government to consider sponsoring citizens for pilot training. Mantel – who described Mokaila as “a man of action” - said the main challenge was when air charter firms want to employ foreign pilots, and she added that an expatriate pilot is required to first get the Botswana Pilots Licence before getting a work permit.

The process however is long and bureaucratic as the concerned departments do not know which one does which part of the process. Mantel says a one stop shop for the departments and good communication between departments would make things easier.

TOURISM SHAKE UP

Okavango and Kgalagadi could degrade the eco-system because of its fragility. The industry had to regulate itself to ensure that the carrying capacities of the tourism areas were not exceeded at any one time and that the tourists must enjoy the product on offer.

Mokaila added that it may be worthwhile “reflecting on the impact and value of (tourist) trips from outside our borders.” He did not elaborate. Another area of concern was staff welfare and industrial relations, and said complaints were being received from employees and also guests. An initiative being pursued was that of opening forest reserves for tourism.

“This, we hope, will assist in increasing tourism sites and activities in the Chobe District and lessen the congestion in the Chobe National Park”. Existing campsites in the national parks and game reserves run by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks would also be leased to private operators.

To address payment hurdles experienced by visitors at park gates, Mokaila said point of sales offices would be introduced, requiring that payments be made at district wildlife offices where possible. Spokespersons for various tourism sectors said the meeting had been fruitful and many of the issues were discussed.

Crime was one of the major points on the agenda as was the delays of Air Botswana flights to and from Maun.  The issue of work permits, experienced managers and alleged discrimination were also addressed by the delegates.

Foot and Mouth outbreak confirmed

KASANE – The Department of animal Health and Production has confirmed the outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Chobe.

Affected areas are Parakarunga, Satau, Kachikau, Kavimba and Mabele. All animals in the area are now being vaccinated by government vets.

It is understood that the outbreak will not affect beef exports to the European Union because of the status of western Chobe as an FMD area. The outbreak follows on a recent one in the Bobirwa and Selebi-Pikwe areas.

Freak accident injures tourist

A Swiss tourist has been dramatically rescued in the Okavango delta after being injured in a freak accident while changing a wheel on his vehicle. The man, who was not identified, was with his wife near Mankwe when the incident happened. It is understood he was using a high-rise jack at the time.

The couple had a satellite telephone and when the man collapsed from an excessive loss of blood, his panic-stricken wife called for help to a local safari company which in turn alerted the 911 neighbourhood watch.

Patrick Penstone, of 911, said this week that there were no helicopters available so a private pilot left Maun to search for the couple. When he located them, it was found there were no suitable landing areas and it was decided to call for MRI to drive to the scene. The pilot guided the paramedics to the stricken couple, treated the man and returned to Maun.

Police stamp down on harassment of public

By Basadi Morokotso

A top policeman has given the assurance that people should not fear the police and that police officers and special constables are “servants of the community.”

The Deputy Commissioner of Botswana Police, Thebeyame Tsimako, says Maun residents should report complaints to the office of the station commander “whenever they feel belittled or undermined by the officers in charge at the police station”. People should not fear the police but rather feel free to come to the district police headquarters, “as doors will be widely open for them.”

Tsimako said this at a brief meeting with The Ngami Times, senior police officers and the station commander Superintendent Moitaly Thokweng at the latter’s office following an article that appeared in The Ngami Times about alleged ill-treatment of the public by special constables. He said they have received numerous complaints and not only in Maun that the special constables mishandle people.

Tsimako said the public should be made aware that there are right channels of communication to be followed. If they feel the station commander is unable to assist them, they should ask to see the District Officer commanding, and that if they still feel not satisfied, they should call the office of the Divisional Commander in Francistown. He said police headquarters in Gaborone, where he and other senior police officers are based, should be the last resort.

Tsimako admitted that special constables are not fully trained in the same way as the Botswana Police because they only go for two-month training and said this may be one of the reasons leading to their misconduct.In the meantime, he said plans are underway to empower them so that they act the same way as the police.

The problem with some special constables is that they feel they are “head and shoulders above the law and that they declare themselves masters automatically.”

He went on to say appropriate disciplinary action would be the only way to correct issues of ill treatment. Police officers and special constables, he said, need to be alerted to the fact that they are the servants of the community.

“We need humble people in the police force, people who will serve the community in the most diligent way. If they fail, then we’ll be glad to part ways with them because they’ll be of no use but quite a drawback”, he said. For his part, Thokweng said he has come a long way working with Maun residents and that quite a good number of them have came directly to lodge complaints with his office, but none of them has ever mentioned being harassed by the police.

Deputy Police Commissioner Thebeyame Tsimako toured the offices of The Ngami Times during a quick visit to Maun late last week. Pictured with him is The Ngami Times  Editor Norman Chandler ( right) and Chief Reporter Bright Kholi. Picture: Onkabetse Tsaro

He went on to say if someone comes across such misconduct, they should look at the name tag of the police officer attending to them so that if a case is reported, they will be able to identify whom they were dealing with. He said it complicates their work even more if complainants fail to do so because they end up pointing accusing fingers at innocent people who perform their duties well.

Tsimako  said the public needs to be made aware of what is happening around them. He said they are working hand in hand with the neighbourhood watch 911 and that the good thing is that the 911 service is community based, and that being the case, people have a chance of interacting with the police and share grievances.  Superintendent Tebogo Tokwe said he is worried about the low turn out of the public at community policing forums where they are educated on security issues and matters affecting them. Tokwe said it is at the same forums that they discuss issues concerning grievances and he called on Thokweng to take stern measures against his men, monitor them and see to it that all those responsible are brought before court for disciplinary hearings.

Lashes for hair products thief

Opelo Harry, of Boyei ward, Maun, was this week found guilty and sentenced to lashes by the Maun customary court for the theft of hair products from the Shoprite supermarket.

A security guard at the store, Alan Mbwe, told the court that he saw Harry enter the supermarket and after a while, he tried to sneak out with his hands in his pockets. Mbwe told the court he challenged Harry and found Nivea facial products in his pockets. Mbwe called the police who took Harry to the police station and charged him with common theft. Constable Tshenolo Mophuti displayed the stolen products in court as proof of evidence.

Harry pleaded guilty before the court. In mitigation, he stated that he is taking care of nine siblings. Chief Labane Meno, who was presiding, told the accused he was guilty and that if he continues to get involved in common theft, he can be jailed for a year. Harry received  five strokes on his back.

EDITORIAL..

Think about it

Teachers should think hard and clear when they start demanding that the annual Teachers Day celebration should be held on Fridays and not Wednesdays.

Taking a jaundiced view of it, one could easily assume that teachers want another long weekend!  And who suffers? Why, the children, of course.

Teachers did not turn up in any great number at the national celebration of the day in Maun two weeks ago, which perhaps is an indication of their disinterest in the event. Their union leader lambasted them for staying away but in the next breath asked for the Friday as if that would make any difference to the attendance.

Sorting out the dogs

The issue of dogs in Maun has always been a vexed point. Stray dogs abound and nothing, it appears,  had previously been done to control the ever-increasing population.

Now at last the Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS) has stepped in by lending support and enthusiasm to spaying bitches. The World Wide Veterinary Service provided veterinarians and nurses to Maun to help the cause, and for that the town should thank them.

Of course, there are still too many dogs, but as time goes on, we are sure that MAWS will again  start another project of a similar nature. Well done!

THE MAUN SHUFFLE..

There are some impatient people out Disaneng way. They just cannot wait for the gravel road through their ward from Boseja to Matlapana to be completed! Now that the Chinese contractors are on site and their big yellow machines are ripping out the undergrowth etc, it is only a matter of time before the tarring of the road takes shape, and changes the face of the area, too.

One has to put up with inconveniences when it comes to infrastructure improvements, so here’s hoping that the good people of Disaneng well keep their patience for some months to come . . . The good news, of course, is that construction is starting during the winter months and that by the time the rainy season hits, construction work will be well on the way.

The road promises to be a boon to everyone as it will cut travelling time from one end of Maun to the other, take traffic off the main road, and it is logical that the road will bring further developments in the form of filling stations, shops, a satellite police station (hopefully), schools and churches.

**

The group of international vets and veterinary nurses who have been doctoring (literally) the Bitches of Maun – by that of course Shuffle means female dogs! – have done sterling work during their short stay.

Apparently there have been lots of fun moments too for the group which hails from Britain, Canada and France. They had never met each other before and as volunteers with the World Wide Veterinary Service Charity, they came together at various airports prior to leaving for Maun.

They arrived in Johannesburg and then began the long haul through Botswana. To a man, they all said it was an exhausting journey but worthwhile, indeed.  They were impressed with the country and its peoples, and had made many friends among animal welfare enthusiasts.

In Maun, the home of Terry and Mervyn Palmer was literally been turned into an animal hospital, visited daily by members of the government’s veterinary services and of course private vets who have all helped to augment the procedures being carried out on their dogs.

The dogs were brought in the day before their operations, given a good meal, their own special doggy blankets and snuggled down for the night in wire kennels. The next morning the dogs were treated in various ways, and sent home a day or two later with sufficient dog food to last two to three days.

Shuffle understands that it is hoped by the Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS) to run regular clinics with foreign and local vets – their work will surely go a long way in helping the doggy population of this town of donkeys, goats, cows, horses and strays of all sorts.

**

Namibia’s temporary royals have now left with their baby. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie spent two months in the country awaiting the birth of their daughter, Shiloh, finally pulling out from their hideaway on the Swakopmund coast at the weekend.

In the process, they alienated themselves from local townspeople who couldn’t use their own stretch of beach as the couple employed burly guards to ensure no one intruded upon their privacy and the Namibian government co-operated by throwing out journalists and photographers who had arrived en masse to cover the visit by the two stars.

One wonders whether they were worth it. After all, they are merely film stars, not foreign royalty or ex-presidents banished from their homelands.

Anyway, that being what it is, Shuffle was intrigued to find out over the weekend that the baby’s name, Shiloh, is a religious name that means “Messiah”. One would think that that takes it a bit far, because probably in the minds of the parents, she is a “Messiah” of sorts. We hope she lives up to her name.

**

Time for a laugh, courtesy of Giepie Barnard, of BMC Sports Club:

Man: “Haven’t we seen other other before?”
Woman: “Yeah, that’s why I don’t go there.”
Man: “Is this seat empty?”
Woman: “Yeah, and this will be empty as well if you should sit down.”
Man: “Your place or mine?”
Woman: “Both. You go to your place and I will go to mine.”

Kuru San cultural festival billed for August

The annual Kuru San cultural festival will   this year take place on august 11 and 12 at Dqae Qare Game Farm, near Ghanzi. Participating groups will be from Ghanzi, Ngamiland, South Africa and Namibia.

Entrance fee will be P10 and people are advised to use 4x4 vehicles as the road is not accessible for small cars.

Young girl killed by minibus

An eight year old girl died last week after being knocked down by a minibus on Tsheko Tsheko Road near the Maun sports complex.

The girl is said to have been crossing the road when the accident occurred. According to Maun police traffic officer Bigboy Tiyedze the driver of the bus was detained to help the police with investigations.

The motorist could face a charge of causing death by driving a motor vehicle in a manner which is dangerous to other road users.

Young man commits suicide

A young man, 21, of Shashe, Maun, hanged himself from a tree in the yard in which he resided. The  Maun police station commander Moitally Thokweng told The Ngami Times that the deceased’s neighbors reported the matter to the police. He said according to his housemates, the deceased had gone out of the house where they were laughing and joking but never came back.

The deceased is also said to have shown no signs of stress or of having problems.

‘I cannot find my shoes anywhere’
By Golang Raditsela

A man who had his shoes confiscated by the police who were checking on shoe prints during a case nine years ago is still waiting for three pairs to be given back to him. But it seems the police have lost the shoes, and now he wants full compensation of P500, as was agreed at the time.

Kavenata Hikuama, of Kareng, has grown old waiting for his shoes which were taken by the police in 1997 when a furniture store was allegedly broken into and he was one of the accused.

Now middle-aged, Hikuama said police had to confirm certain footprints which led them to taking three pairs of his shoes. According to him, the shoes were then lost. “The police even took me to the storeroom and we searched everywhere and could not find them”, he said.

Hikuama said they later agreed with the investigator, an Inspector Selato who is now in Selebi Phikwe, that he would be compensated P500. Selato however only sent him P100 allegedly promising to send the remainder later. Later never came.

Hikuama  says he kept on visiting Maun police with the hope of recovering the full amount but later gave up after realising that the money he used for transport from Kareng to Maun for all the visits was more than the value of the shoes.

“What discouraged me even more is that each time I went to the police, I had to start the story from the beginning as if nobody knew what had happened”, he lamented. When The Ngami Times asked the police for a comment, the CID officer in charge, Superintendent Phuthego said he is aware of the matter.

He said he had been following the matter until Selato sent P100. Selato was then told that the money was not enough but he did not send more. Phuthego said the police would now do something to help Hikuama.

Hammer man lashed for assault

Mothusi Kehaletse, 30, a Ditshiping man, earned himself five strokes this week at the Maun customary court for beating a woman with a hammer. Kehaletse is said to have beaten Itireleng Nthoiwa with a hammer above her eye, leaving a wound.

Constable Tshenolo Mophuti told the court that on June 9, Kehaletse went to Nthoiwa’s house and started the fight. Kehaletse told police that Nthoiwa had once accused him of rape and he wanted revenge.

Asked by Kgosi Labane Meno to plead, Kehaletse said the facts of the case were true and pleaded guilty and he asked the court to be lenient as he was taking care of his blind grandmother. The court ordered him to be given fives lashes.

‘Muti’ in underpants didn’t help

Stealing muti medicine from the Choppies supermarket recently earned a 27-year-old man five strokes at Maun customary court.

Keratile Mokoya, of Riverside ward, Maun, allegedly entered the supermarket and stole the medicine labeled “The Special Muti”. A security guard, Hadzisani Tibone, told the court that he saw Mokoya taking the medicine pack from a shelf hiding it in his underpants.

The guard told the court that he approached Mokoya and asked him to take out what he had placed under his pants. Mokoya denied theft and then Tibone applied force in order to search him and the medicine was found in his underpants. The police officer who handled the case, Tshenolo Mophuti, presented the evidence.Chief Labane Meno asked Mokoya why he stole the product and he told the court that one of his cousins had been sick for nearly three years and he thought the medicine would help. Meno said it was against the law to steal no matter the reason.

HIV levels now ‘unsustainable’ says Mogae

NEW YORK – The high level of HIV is a cause of major concern, says President Festus Mogae.

Addressing a high-level conference here recently on breaking the cycle of HIV infections for sustainable AIDS responses, he said that HIV infections have reached unsustainable levels, and yet new infections were occurring at an alarming rate. He is quoted by news agencies as saying “we also note that, in view of these rates, the current levels of the response are inadequate. They are not enough to stop the epidemic, let alone reverse it, hence the need for this discussion.” The key was in breaking the cycle of infection for sustainable AIDS responses. It was important to understand HIV’s principal mode of transmission and what “drives or fuels: the spread of the epidemic. Mogae said some epidemics manifested themselves in more infection among women and girls than in males, among the youth, drug users, commercial sex workers, and sexual orientations. Others included rural/urban, culture and tradition.

People had to know their HIV status, as being HIV negative opened “a gateway to treatment and support services, and contributes towards reducing stigma and discrimination as more and more people disclose their status. He said that in Botswana most people were reluctant to know their HIV status “and this clearly demonstrates that prevention and treatment are closely interlinked. Both are required to sustain the intensity of prevention efforts for reducing the rate of new infections, thus breaking the cycle.” Through the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, a reduction in the rate of transmission from 405 in 2002 to 6% this year had been achieved in Botswana. All expectant mothers who test HIV positive must enroll for the programme. He added there was concern over the pregnancy of women who were on anti-retroviral therapy treatment. “We certainly must avoid a situation in which, as treatment access expands, increases in risky behaviour occur while resource commitment to a visibility of prevention programmes diminish.”

He called for the development and implementation of new interventions and technologies.

‘Starving’ woman steals pie – charged

A Zimbabwean woman, 50, who allegedly stole a pie from Choppies supermarket in Maun found herself in an embarrassing situation this week when she appeared before the Maun customary on a single charge of common theft.

Joyce Chiwewe is said to have entered the store on June 2, and got away with a pie. At the exit, she was unable to produce a receipt to a security guard.

The guard, Hadzisani Tibone, said he was surprised to see her walking past with nothing to declare. He became suspicious and told Chiwewe to open her purse, in which he saw a pie. The incident was then reported to the police and she was charged her with common theft.

The pie was presented before court as evidence. The presiding officer, Kgosi Oleo Ledimo, asked Chiwewe why she engaged in such a crime at her age upon which she answered that she was “starving” on that particular day.

Chiwewe pleaded guilty to the charge and was ordered by Ledimo to pay P10 within five hours or face a jail term of a month. The pie was taken back to the supermarket.

Titanic fight in the bush
By Lets Open

A titanic struggle in the bush between a female elephant protecting her young and a pack of hyenas has been reported from the Savuti area. And what saved the elephants came straight out of a Tarzan movie – the elephant’s bellowing brought others to the scene, and the hyenas retreated as the lumbering pachyderms moved in to rescue the helpless mother and baby.

According to safari guide Kane Motswana, the fight to the death took place when the elephants were attacked.  The baby elephant had part of its trunk badly bitten while the mother was also injured. The fight was seen by five tourists on a game drive.

“It is the most remarkable thing I have seen. The fight lasted about three hours,” Motswana said this week. “As the fight progressed, and with the mother making a terrific noise, suddenly out of the bush came a number of other elephants, obviously drawn to the scene by the cries of the two elephants. “They proved too much for the hyenas, which retreated hastily.”

Parents urged to register disabled children

Parents and relatives whose children have disabilities have been advised to register their children at schools with special education units.

According to Boyei Primary School head teacher Noah Kebafitlhetse such children have the right to education as well. Boyei has a special unit for the deaf, he added, and that since they started the unit they have registered fourteen children. The unit still needs more children to register as it is operating below capacity.

“We have two hostels, a dining hall and about sixty beds for these children to stay on campus,” he said. The school has applied to private companies to help them with computers so that the children can learn new skills.

Meanwhile, the special education teacher at Moremi Primary School, Kuda Zibani, blamed parents for neglecting and hiding children with disabilities. He said some children also come to school dirty, and called for more parental care. He said the unit at Moremi has 33 disabled children and encourages parents to take their children for regular check ups.

He stated that Moremi has in place special sports codes for children with disabilities, such as athletics and ball sports which help the children in improving their talents and exercise them mentally and physically. According to Zibani, the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) recently donated balls and T-shirts for children with disability.

IEC calls for a review of polling stations
By Bright Kholi

With next general election three years away, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has asked for councillors, party liaison members, the communities and other non governmental organizations to look at existing polling stations to see if they are still viable.

Addressing the recent North West District Council’s meeting, IEC Secretary Gabriel Seeletso said the Electoral Act gave him the power to review the existing stations, with the aim of establishing whether there is need to establish new ones or get rid of some.

Seeletso told councillors that during past general elections, some polling stations did not meet the expectations as they were underutilised and he urged councillors to look at the relevance of the existing stations in wards and any need for extra stations to be established.

He gave examples of polling stations which have been relocated, saying such instances would mean getting rid of old ones and establishing new ones where people have been relocated. Seeletso advised councillors to give their recommendations to district election officers, who would then do the necessary assessments.

People should look at different aspects, including population, and after the assessments the final recommendations would be forwarded to the IEC, which would then advertise the established and closed polling stations in the Government Gazette.

Police protection for embassies

GABORONE – Complaints that valuable police manpower is being used to protect foreign embassies and diplomatic premises have been answered by the Botswana Police.

It says that the service has been inundated with enquiries on why it is providing physicals guards on premises of some diplomatic missions. The police are bound in terms of the laws to take appropriate steps to protect the premises of diplomatic missions against intrusion or damage. Section 8 of the Police Act charges the police with the responsibility of ensuring protection and carries out the mandate through the Security Intelligence Service, and the Security and VIP Protection Unit.

The eyesore of Maun’s own hell
‘Everyone scrambled to welcome the waste truck’
By Charlotte Mpho

The old Maun landfill near Matshwane has become a serious eye sore to anyone who happens to pass through. With the new landfill almost complete, one hopes that the old one will be seriously rehabilitated to avoid the shortcomings experienced at the old one. This week, The Ngami Times visited the place and on arrival saw people scrambling and hunting through piles of garbage.

At first it looked like they were collecting cans for recycling, but a much large group was searching for anything edible! The people were actually mingling with dogs, donkeys and even cattle, each one of them minding his/her/its business.

The situation was as if no one recognised the presence of the other. There was one group of youngsters who appeared to be school kids and who should have been at school.

It was a sorry sight to witness when a waste truck appeared to dump its load, with everybody scrambling to welcome the truck – like a triumphant soccer team being greeted back after winning the league!

The truck brings hope for these people. Looking to the horizon of the landfill, there is sign that some people have built shelters there as blankets were hanging on trees and small fires showed that they do their cooking on site as well.What a health hazard. The whole place stinks like hell and obviously, these people’s lives are in danger.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> The big question therefore is what the authorities are doing to help the pathetic situation or at least are they aware of it.Our first stop in trying to get answers was the North West District Council, custodians of such facilities in the district. But, as expected, we got two big NOs from the NDWC boss, the Council Secretary  Paulos Nkoni, for obvious reasons for those who follow district news very well. With a no from him, it meant we could not talk to the Environmental Health department, the waste and sanitation departments, and the NWDC bye-laws section.

So we did the next best thing in the face of this slamming of the door in our faces – we spoke to councilor Isaac Phoi, councillor for Boseja/Kubung, who welcomed the idea of talking to me.The soft spoken councillor said: “I know about the situation at the old dumping site, and I have talked about it at every forum I hold with my electorate.” His concern was clearly expressed on his face as talked to us.

To Phoi’s knowledge, people who have shelters there are those who collect cans for recycling but said he will follow up on the matter to see if some stay there as scavengers. Phoi said the place is a health hazard, adding that the new landfill will keep these people away as it is fenced.

He said in meetings he held recently, he mentioned the issue and the response he got was that some people send their children to the landfill.  “It’s really touching because there was one incident whereby the police were called to collect someone who had died after eating poisoned food,” he said. Phoi said if it not been for a shortage of staff in the Environmental Health and Bye-law departments, there could be serious monitoring to nab those who frequent the place for these reasons. Meanwhile Phoi said he will not rest until the situation is under control.

Employees spit fire at their employers
By Basadi Morokotso

Employees of various private companies in Maun this week spat salvos of criticism at their employers for what they termed unfair treatment. The employees said this during a meeting they had with the Assistant Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Olifant Mfa.

They claimed grievances were not attended to by employers, who for a long time have taken them for granted whenever they raised issues of unfairness. They said they felt it was “high time something be done before it is too late.”

A hotel’s employee told of “too much discrimination” at their hotel, and that the manager “looked down upon us.” One said: “This guy complicates our lives and he is never willing to listen to whatever we have to say, instead he keeps on threatening us that he will call his lawyers and that our contracts might be terminated if we talk too much.”

A staff committee had presented a petition letter to the District Commissioner’s office. District Commissioner Bernadette Malala, who was present at the meeting, denied any knowledge of the letter. They then asked Malala to consult her office about the letter. Employees also said senior hotel staff were “boot lickers” even though some also complained of ill treatment but were fearful of victimisation.

Assistant Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Olifant Mfa

An employee of a construction company at the new hospital in Maun asked the minister to set a date so that he and senior officials from the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) could tour their site to see for themselves as most of the employees were working without work permits. An employee of a major safari company said there is too much racism at his workplace and added that all senior staff were whites and all blacks were junior staff, adding that this has created some hatred between the two parties to the extent that they (the black staff) are not allowed to answer telephone calls.

They also did not get annual leave while degreed persons and diploma holders were “abused”, which was said to be “very common in the delta.” He also called on the minister and the district labour officer to tour the delta on an inspection to see if companies complied with labour laws.

Similar complaints came from garage staff. Mfa said his office has received numerous complaints of misconduct from employees in different sectors. He said people get below minimum wages, do not get their annual leave and are always threatened, something which he said is not encouraged.

Mfa added he finds it inappropriate for people to employ foreigners when there are Batswana who can do certain jobs, saying these foreigners undermine locals, forgetting that some of them came here as beggars - to an extent that some arrived “carrying only a single pair of shoes.” “Of course we need foreigners here and there, but I feel they should be granted such posts only if there are no Batswana who can fill their spaces,” he said.

He lashed out at locals who ill-treated others at work, saying they easily forget their roots, and that they should be the ones protecting junior staff “from these foreigners.”  People need not be threatened by “boot lickers” because what they are doing is short- term and that it is these same boot licking acts which will land them into trouble if caught. “You guys should take a stand. Do not feel threatened by foreigners. Threaten them as well. Tell them this is your country and that you belong here.“Hold your head high and tell them the soil that they are standing in is yours but not theirs. Make them feel out of place!” he added.

Tsetse fly spraying gets underway

An aerial spraying programme to eradicate tsetse fly from northern Botswana, Namibia’s Caprivi and the southern border area of Angola has started. Spraying started on May 28 and is expected to end in August.

According to the Tsetse Information Centre, surveys have been carried out along the Kwando and Lenyanti rivers since 2004 and although the number of flies is much lower than those in the Okavango before 2002, they are nevertheless significant in this important area for tourism and represent a continuing threat of invasion back into the delta.

In August 2002 aerial spraying for tsetse over the entire Okavango Delta ended successfully and over a two-year period the department claimed victory after they had sprayed the insecticide, deltamethrin. The problem however remained as the fly was also found along the Kwando and Lenyanti rivers.

An “aerial spray block” covering Lenyanti and Kwando, Caprivi and an area of southern Angola is being funded by Botswana. It forms a component of the African Union, Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC).

Surveys have also been carried out in the Caprivi side of the border and clearly show that areas such as the Madumu National Park are infested. The first application of the insecticide was completed on June 3, and so far, 10 000sq.km has been covered.

The second application starts this weekend,  and after that there will be three more which will be timed according to daily temperatures. If successful, the operation will have completely eradicated tsetse flies from Botswana

Orsmond Aviation, a South African company, is doing the spraying using five aircraft.  Tsetse control officials say that every effort is being made to minimise disruption of tourist activities and each camp in the affected areas is being notified when aircraft will overfly. All spraying is being done at night from Katima airstrip, Namibia.

Home water purifier launched

Population Service International (PSI), a non- governmental organisation, has launched its PuR home water purifier in Maun The launch follows on the recent diarrhoea epidemic which caused more than 400 deaths of infants.

According to PSI Country representative, Soumitro Ghosh, PuR is a “double action system” of purification that gives double protection against germs. Ghosh says PuR removes the dirt you can see and kills the germs you cannot see in only one treatment. It keeps the water clean because it kills the germs that might be present in the water storage containers.

“Each packet or sachet contains a special powder that treats 10 litres of water,” Ghosh said. The ingredients in PuR when mixed in water as they act like a magnet for all the dirt and germs, pulling theses to the bottom so they can be easily filtered “You can actually see this happening”, Ghosh added.

On how PuR works he says “it is easy to use. In four steps, and without boiling water, dirty water can be made safe just by adding PuR. The whole process takes only 30 minutes.”

The vets who care . . . Voluntary vets and veterinary nurses from three countries have spent the past two weeks in Maun treating more than 130 dogs, cats and horses as part of a project organised by the Maun Animal Welfare Society (MAWS). Aimed specifically at spaying dogs, the project was the brainchild of Virginia Keys, vice-chairperson of MAWS, and her daughter, Dani Shaw, of Britain, who enlisted the aid of the World Wide Veterinary Service. It is hoped that more teams of volunteers will soon be visiting Maun. Pictured at the home of Terry and Mervyn Palmer where a temporary veterinary clinic and facilities was set up, are, back (from left to right), Nation Kangondi,  of MAWS, Mervyn Palmer (chairperson, MAWS). Bob Lehner (Britain), Nick Bell (Britain), Stephanie de Moulin (Malaysia), Dani Shaw (Britain) and Fiona Ely (Canada). In front: Mandy Tamba (Britain) and Hannah Westen (Britain).

SPORTS:

Mascom premier league play-off this weekend

The Premier League play offs kicks off will be held over the weekend in Selebi Phikwe. The winning team in the promotion race will play in the next season’s Mascom Premier League. The games will be played on a points system, meaning that all the three teams will each play 4 games in a space of two days.

The favourites are Mogoditshane Fighters, who will rely on the vast experience of having been playing in the Premier League, as well as individual players who can win them promotion.  Fighters bank their hopes on goalkeeper Bleski Mokobi, and the defence of national team player Mompati Thuma will add confidence to the team. Midfielder maestro and national team player Masego Abedi Ntshingane and Lubigisa Lubigisa will add depth. “The Brazilians”, have been struggling of late to find the back of the net, will rely much on the midfield.

On the other hand, Letlhakane’s Stone Breakers don’t have big names in the team, but will rely on team work and determination that kept them in a comfortable position in the Med Rescue First Division Northern Zone.

The Southern Zone is being represented by Jwaneng Comets, who had played in the first league for the past three seasons and will be hoping to go back to the top league.  On Saturday, Mogoditshane Fighters will take on Jwaneng Comets, followed by Comets again up against Stone Breakers (2pm) and the final game of the day will see Stone Breakers lock horns with Fighters (7pm). On Sunday, Comets will clash with Mogoditshane Fighters at 9am and at 2pm, Fighters play Stone Breakers. The final game will see Stone Breakers against Comets.  All the games will be played at Selebi Pikwe Council Stadium. 

Brothers of Peace tops Delta League
By Cobrie Kgaodi

Former BOFWA team Brothers of Peace (B.O.P), now playing in the Delta League division registered their first loss against middle of the table Matlapana Black X1 by 2-1 at the start of the second round league games.

B.O.P have so far registered four wins, two draws and one loss from all three games to tops the league table with 14 points. Black X1’s victory has not changed their position on the log and they remain perched to 5th spot with nine points.

Kutlwano closed the gap with the top teams by thrashing Delta Wanderers 4-1 in completely one-sided affair that they could have won with an even higher margin. Kutlwano has jumped to second spot a point behind B.O.P and if they keep their winning spirit going, they might finish top by the end of the season and qualify for promotion.

Kutlwano has 13 points and Delta Wanderers, which caused havoc in early games, have drifted to 3rd position with 12 points. Crocodile F.C have 11 points for 4th place.

Disaneng ward’s Desert Wind beat Desert Sky, of Shorobe, 2-0 to consolidate their position on top of the log. Wind played better than Sky though they failed to convert a number of good scoring opportunities that came their way.  Desert Sky still trail the table with three points they acquired from three draws and if they do not pull up their socks they might find themselves playing in the league’s Division B next season.

Shashe United started the league’s second round on a high note when they beat Matlapana Liverpool 5-2 in a thrilling encounter. The win has put United on the second spot with 14 points and need to win their game against Desert Wind on Saturday by six goals in order to climb to the top (Kick-off 12.30pm, Crocodile Camp ground). The once-feared league Team Projects continued to display poor performance this season when they drew 1-1 against Delta Eagles. Team Projects now sits in 4th place with 8 points.

BISA boxing this weekend

Orapa will this weekend host the North Zone elimination boxing tournament.

Ten boxers from Maun Senior Secondary School, Tshwaragano and Moeti CJSS will be participating. The winners from this category will face the winners from South Central in a knockout tournament to qualify for the national finals at a date to be set.

Tony Makula, the North Zone co-ordinator told The Ngami Times that preparations have been going well, adding that the boxers had a weekend camp with Mater Spei College, Moeding College and St Josephs College. Maun SSS are the defending champions of the under 19 category that includes under 17, 18 and 19 and above.

Makula added that the team has three boxers who are in the national under 19 boxing team - Mofenyi Goitsemodimo and Kebautile Kebalepile f