Plan to ignite Bokone Bophirima - Botswana business exchange programmes supported
Tshidilamolomo: Feelings of optimism and eagerness prevailed among the residents of Tshidilamolomo village, about 100 km west of Mahikeng, and their neighbours in the Botswana border, over the proposed plan to exchange ideas and work together, this in a bid to stimulate sustainable economic activities in their areas.
This surfaced today, Wednesday, 21 September, at a gathering attended by a delegation from Botswana, Tshidilamolomo residents, Provincial Government leadership and Traditional Leadership from Botswana and Bokone Bophirima Province.
Expressing the Botswana Government’s excitement about this initiative, Hon. Phenyo Segokgo, the Chairperson of Botswana’s South East District Council, said the idea for the two, Botswana and the Bokone Bophirima Province, to engage each other on issues of common interest, confirms the leadership’s concerted efforts to harness the existing relationship.
“The outcome of our discussions will bond residents of these neighboring Bokone Bophirima and Botswana villages, thus enabling Botswana business people wanting to do business in Bokone Bophirima Province and vice versa, to do it without unnecessary restrictions, with special attention to those in affected villages”, said Hon. Segokgo.
The MEC for Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs, Mme Ontlametse Mochware, said the sharing of not only the border between Bokone Bophirima and Botswana, but a number of similarities in the form of culture and vegetation, attracts the two neighbours to agreeably use Agriculture, Culture and Tourism to gradually grow their economies.
“This is a momentous event for us, as it embraces the fifth administration’s development plan which is defined through the five concretes”, said MEC Mochware adding that plans are already afoot to host a Provincial economic development summit later in the year, where a tangible plan of action for Bokone Bophirima Province and Botswana business relations will be adopted for action.
One of the residents, Tshesebo Poifo from Tshidilamolomo in Botswana, applauded this initiative saying it will afford both governments the opportunity to learn best practices in so far as agricultural farmer support programmes are concerned.
“The two countries have been heavily affected by drought, and if we work together, we can come up with drought mitigation ideas including the best methods of conserving our rich natural resources”, Poifo said.
Kgosi Kopano Lekoko of Tshidilamolomo in Bokone Bophirima Province and Kgosi Legotlwane of Tshidilamolomo in Botswana, commended the two governments for showing interest in uplifting the lives of the rural communities, saying the objectives of this historic moment should be upheld.
The delegation from Botswana had earlier today visited government supported community projects around Tshidilamolomo village, amongst them Semelelang Bakery and Boiteko Cooperative, which the Chairperson of the Southern District, Hon. Mephato Reatile, described as best models for benchmarking.
“We were impressed and inspired by what we saw at all the projects we visited. While we also support community projects back home in Botswana, we realised that our approach is different from how it is done in Bokone Bophirima, in that this side there is intense community consultation and participation”, Hon Reatile said.
The focus of the two-day business engagement between Bokone Bophirima and Botswana is centred on achieving the objective of developing villages, townships and small dorpies economies, this in the context of the overarching strategy to Rebrand, Reposition and Renew the Province of Bokone Bophirima.
This initiative follows the launch of Tshidilamolomo border crossing pilot project in December last year by the Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, which was aimed at strengthening the neighbourly relationship with the Republic of Botswana.
For enquiries, contact
Mr Brian Setswambung
Provincial Head of Communication
Cell: 076 012 4501
E-mail: bsetswambung@nwpg.gov.za
