MPs condemn wildlife buffer fences

Staff Writer | Monday March 3, 2014 15:47

 

Boteti MP Slumber Tsogwane complained that the buffer fence in his constituency is blocking livestock from accessing drinking holes and wondered how Christian de Graaf’s ministry expects their animals to survive without water.

Maun MP Frank Ramsden said the buffer fence was a waste of time and resources. He told Parliament last week that elephants are destroying the fence, making the movements of wild animals in and out of the buffer fence a common sight. Ramsden even raised concern that these conditions could make it difficult for the Hyena Veldt farmers to be re-admitted into the EU beef export market.

Meanwhile Education Minister and MP for Serowe South Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi decried shortage of pastoral and arable farming resources in the Mogatsapoo farming area.  She described the area is vital since it is utilized by farmers in five constituencies of Palapye, Tswapong South, parts of Shoshong, and Serowe.

She said some extra three to four dams are needed in the area, and regretted that the service centre promised for the area is not yet fully functional.

Vice President Ponatshego Kedikilwe urged the Ministry of Agriculture to take advantage of the overflowing new dams of Thune and Lotsane to educate the neighbouring residents how they can utilise them for irrigation.

Kedikilwe said government has projected that Lotsane dam could irrigate 600 hectares of land, but wondered if the residents have been made aware of the opportunities.