Khama�s controversial Tswapong springs
Oarabile Mosikare | Friday October 10, 2014 16:52
President Ian Khama is embroiled in controversy over the alleged ownership of a natural monument in the villages of Borotsi and Chadibe in the Tswapong area, Mmegi has established.
Information gathered by this publication suggests that Khama might have illegally acquired ownership of a natural spring at the foot of the Tshweneng Hills in the villages of Borotsi and Chadibe in the Sefhare-Ramokgonami constituency. The spring has spiritual significance for the residents of Tswapong.
Khama has even annexed the spring by way of fencing part of the hill and the source of the natural spring by enclosing it as part of his property. To reach the source of this spring, one has to go through Khama’s yard. A visitor has to seek permission from the caretaker of Khama’s property in order to climb the hill and reach the source of the spring. Khama’s late father, former president Sir Seretse Khama, owned the property.
Mmegi is privy to information Khama privately owns this spring.
This is according to a report complied by Wellfield Consulting Services in 2002, for the Department of Water Affairs in the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Affairs.
The report is titled ‘Integrated Rural Village Water Supply Programme (TB 10/3/53/87-88)’. This is a water supply project for Sefhare, Chadibe and Borotsi in the Sefhare-Ramokgonami constituency.
Revealing private ownership of the source but not by name, the report stated: “The other source of water is a spring at the foot of the Tshweneng Hills.
The spring is inside a privately owned farm but the owner of the farm has constructed a pipeline from his reservoir to the fence of the farm where he installed a tap for the people of both villages to fetch water.”
Did the minister lie to Parly?
This information is contrary to a parliamentary question asked by former Gaborone Central Member of Parliament, Dumelang Saleshando, on March 3, 2010 to the then Minister of Lands and Housing, Nonofo Molefhi.
Saleshando had asked Molefhi to state whether or not the natural spring in the villages of Borotsi and Chadibe in the Tswapong South (which has since been renamed Sefhare-Ramokgonami) constituency is privately owned or considered a shared communal resource.
If the natural spring is privately owned, the minister should state the company as well as its directors that own the spring or individual that owns the spring, said Saleshando then. He had also wanted to know when the spring was allocated and if the Land Board followed all procedures on the allocation of shared natural resources.
In response, Molefhi said: “The natural spring in the villages of Borotsi and Chadibe in the Tswapong South constituency has two sources, which breaks into channels as they flow southwards.
These springs have not been allocated to any private individual and are used by communities of the two villages, as well as other neighbouring villages such as Sefhare and Mokobeng.”
Sources are quick to dismiss Molefhi’s earlier response, adding that there is clear evidence that Khama owns the springs.
A former member of Sefhare Sub Land Board who requested anonymity said that some time in 1998 they received a directive from the Ngwato Land Board (NLB) in Serowe to measure all the properties of Khama in Borotsi and Chadibe.
That was the year Khama resigned from the army and later was appointed as vice president of Botswana.
The source said he has been a member of the sub land board for eight years and at the direction of his seniors they encompassed the natural spring at the foot of the Tshweneng Hills in their measurements.
“The President inherited the property from his late father. Some of the developments were done by his father and some by him when he assumed the ownership of the property,” said the source.
The source could not ascertain the size of the land near the Tshweneng Hills. The Office of the President (OP) press secretary Gobe Pitso could not be drawn into discussing the ownership of this natural spring.
“The land board is better placed to answer your questions,” said Pitso.
The NLB was also noncommittal about the ownership of this monument.
“We are of the view that we cannot disclose any personal information about the ownership of that natural spring in Sefhare-Ramokgonami.
Maybe OP can be of assistance to your enquiry,” said NLB public relations officer, Shirley Tsheko.
The National Museum, Monument and Art Gallery also did not want to comment. Responding on behalf of the director, one Louis Moroka said the museum does not have Tshweneng Hills natural spring on their list.
“Maybe the people at that constituency might know about the ownership,” said Moroka.
According to the Monuments and Relics Act (Cap. 59:03) ‘ancient monument’ means any building, ruin, remaining portion of a building or ruin, ancient working, stone circle, grave, cave, rock shelter, midden, shell mound, archaeological site, or other site or thing of a similar kind, which is known or believed to have been erected, constructed or used in Botswana before 1st June, 1902.
‘Ancient working’ means any shaft, cutting, tunnel, quarry or stope or any building or machinery appertaining thereto, which was made or used for mining purposes in Botswana and was in existence before 1st June, 1902.