�Ko flateng� lies in ruins
Lekopanye Mooketsi | Monday May 26, 2014 15:19
The small one-storey building used to be a popular joint in Gaborone in the 1970s and 1980s when there were not many bars in the city and most revellers guzzled chibuku.
It was patronised by people from all walks of life including radio personalities and university students. It was a place where intellectuals met for political and social debates and socialites converged to strut their stuff. The joint was first run by the GCC before it was leased to businessman, Tebogo Sekgoma about a decade ago.
The new owner ran a chibuku depot and a bar after signing a 35-year lease with the council. After the change, residents started to complain about the noise from the bar and Sekgoma was forced to close shop by the council though the lease agreement is still in existence.
A Bontleng resident who lives near the abandoned beer garden said they do not have a problem since the chibuku joint ceased operations. The resident, who preferred anonymity, said they used to complain to the council about loud music from the beer garden.
The resident who is operating his own shebeen said people who patronised the beer garden were always fighting. He suggested that the council should utilise the premises to put up shops or something that will be beneficial to the community.
Gaborone mayor, Haskins Nkgaiwa said he was not aware that the property had been vandalised. He said they told the businessman who was running the beer garden to stop operations since residents were complaining that it was a nuisance.
However, they realised that the previous council management had entered into a 35-year lease with the businessman and to take back the property, he has to be compensated.
He said they have entered into a gentlemen’s agreement with the businessman that he should start something else other than a liquor business.
Nkgaiwa does not understand why the previous council management decided to enter into such a long lease agreement.