Mahalapye, A "Sorry Sight!"

Correspondent | Monday February 24, 2014 15:29

I was reminded of how special this village is by “a football fan” who wrote about the village recently! The distressing thing about this village is that it has stagnated in terms of development. You see, stagnation here is used quite benevolently. The village has in fact regressed tremendously! Nonetheless, the attachment is still there!

When I was at Madiba Secondary School, some decades ago, I was a ferocious reader of anything Shakespearean! I devoured a lot of Shakespeare! When thinking about Mahalapye, what comes to mind is Shakespeare’s classic, Hamlet.

In Hamlet, when Marcellus in discussion with Horatio commented that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark”, one would have mistaken him to be referring to the state of development in Mahalapye! Mahalapye my dear is rotten! As rotten as one could imagine! In a nutshell, Mahalapye is “an unheeded garden” of “things rank and gross in nature.”

Where is the village’s development hierarchy? Most probably they are busy fighting for some unmentioned swags. In a nutshell, all is not well at the top of the village’s development hierarchy.

The village is now, to borrow from Macbeth, in another Shakespearian classic, a “sorry sight.” In proper Shakespearian usage a “pathetic sight.” Macbeth’s hands were covered in blood after he murdered King Duncan. He gazed at his hands, remarking “sorry sight.”

Every time I travel to Mahalapye, once I reach the village, I always remark, “Sorry village! Sorry sight! Pathetic spectacle! My friends could attest to this!! A fundamental question that needs to be posed is what went wrong?

On the 28th May, 1940, the first African market was established in Mahalapye. It started with 18 women, who had stalls in the market, selling various produce such as bananas, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, cabbages, onions etc. According to Russell England, chief agriculture officer at the time, the main criticism was that the products were mainly sourced from outside. Bangwato Chief, Tshekedi Khama who supported the idea was of the view that if the Mahalapye market was established on an artificial basis it would have little chance of becoming part of a tribal institution. However, slowly the market gained traction as more locals started producing. It goes to show that the village was ahead of times. The market was similar to the recent one in Gaborone. The question again is what happened? Why didn’t we carry on with this initiative? 

In 1935, after the death of Revered Laurence Hands of South African Railway Mission, then Superintendent of the mission in the region, a decision was made by his colleagues to establish a memorial fund to build a multi-purpose hall in his memory. The hall was built with funds subscribed by the public. The hall called Hands Hall was eventually completed in 1937. Although it was initially built to “bring the comforts of religion to Europeans and others living in isolation or in isolated settlements,” it was also in some instances used by Africans such as in 1962 when Serowe Government Football Club got permission to hold a dance on Saturday 28, April 1962. From time to time it was renovated by the Public Works Department. Today the original hall is derelict, or should I say abandoned or dilapidated or rather it is in an incomprehensible state of disrepair! Why didn’t the Public Works continue renovating the hall? Mahalapye residents, the leadership such as Village Development Committee should have reserved the hall as a tourist destination. Is it too late? The structure is still there!

In 1962, funds were provided for by the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief to start Mahalapye Agricultural Training Centre. It started with a grant of British Pounds 13,200. A lot during those days! The college was meant to “enable Africans from Bechuanaland to receive training in agriculture (crop production), animal husbandry.” No wonder my mother still calls the place “Kwa ga Rra Ennyelane.” In fact the existing remnant of the school compound is in our neighbourhood of Xhosa I.

According to the director of agriculture J.S De Beer, who was based in Mahalapye at the time (imagine!!), “when trainees had successfully completed their three years they were awarded a Certificate in Agriculture.” Even in 1963, Barclays Bank D.C.O in South Africa was willing to fund further expansion of the college. The college through De Beers even initiated a twinning arrangement marvel, which is fashionable nowadays with our local authorities. The college had this arrangement with the Royal Naval Engineering College of Plymouth in England. Some of the programmes that were inculcated at the college are still relevant even today. They include soils and crops; animal husbandry, general farm practice (I doubt it is being taught today!); pasture management; farm engineering etc.

After completing their three year training programme, the students were employed as agricultural demonstrators grade I.

Why didn’t we expand the school to offer more programmes instead of building an entirely new one at Sebele?

These are some of the issues that lend to the school of thought that the village is neglected. All stakeholders are to blame.

In the 60s the village had an airstrip and I believe a 12 hole golf course. I remember uncle Desha was a caddie to some white chap, who happened to own a two seater plane. Why did we do away with such developments? Our children, if we had kept up with these developments should by now be preparing to line at Augusta for the Masters programme. Or we should be having the name of a Motswana engraved on the Claret Jug (British Open or The Championship)!

The village once hosted a show for two seater planes with participants from all over the region, some coming from present day Zimbabwe, others coming from Zambia. This goes to show that the development trajectory of Mahalapye was on an upward curve!

The pertinent question once again is what happened?

 When Sefalana was formed, some of the founders were residents of Mahalapye!

Mahalapye also boasted some of the most successful dairy operations in the country. The most prominent was, I believe owned by the Yalalas. It supplied most parts of the country. Once again, what happened?

During the good old days, the village sired several bands and artists. In fact the village was a laboratory of music. I remember bands such as The Breakers, Melody, Mohuhutso etc.! The village was even the most important stop for South African acts such as Mpharanyane, Steve Kekana and Matlhathini! Where are the bands? Something went terribly wrong!

In the 60s, the village also had one of the most vibrant clubs in the region! Not in the country but in the region! Everyone knew DIDO the club! Villagers did their fox trots there or msakazo! Where are the clubs?

Recently Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) decided to establish the now liquidated glass plant in Palapye. For God’s sake the main component was to be mined near Mahalapye, yet it was decided to set the plant in Palapye! The main component of glass manufacturing, according to my understanding is Silica (SiO2) which in most cases constitutes about 75% in glass production. It mainly comes from quartz in sand. The sand comes from near Mahalapye far from Palapye. Then, why not Mahalapye? Maybe the economics of the plant dictated that the plant be set in Palapye!

In sports, Mahalapye borrowed heavily from England. We had Queens Park Rangers, Leeds United, and Hotspurs playing against each other. They also used to play against Motherwell based in Serowe!

Ditso Anneleng