What�s in a name?

Of all the names they could dream of, they chose this one. While other countries got to name their towns, cities, small villages and streets with cool names such as Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard, Greenpoint, Sandton, Manhattan, Kensington, Swede Hollow, Madison Avenue even Belinda Love Lee, somehow the book of cool names eluded our people this side of the world.

Until a year ago, my neighbourhood was simply known as Phase 2. I will be the first to admit that this whole business of naming Gaborone neighbourhoods with such names as “Blocks” and “Phases” was nothing but just a poverty of ideas. What were they even thinking? Wait, maybe they didn’t think at all.

Apparently Phase 2 is now officially ‘Ntloedibe’. I don’t know what this even means. Someone told me that the name is linked to a Royal ward in Molepolole and so I am guessing that it is named after that ward. The literal meaning would be ‘a house of sins’ or something to that effect. But sin is definitely part of the mix. There are many Royal kraals in this country, Ntloedibe for some reason had to be Phase 2, or vice versa.

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

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