Semotswane: a village in the making

EDWARD BULE
Correspondent | Thursday December 16, 2010 00:00

According to the headman of arbitration, Kgosi Balemetse Bailaphuti of Semotswane, the village was originally one of the Bangwato cattle posts.  Because of its distance from Serowe, the Bangwato headquarters, the farmers at this settlement evaded the payment of tax.

The then Bangwato chief deployed Solotate and Gaseitsewe to go and reside among the tax evaders and collect from them.  The settlement later became a Bangwato village.

Bailaphuti Monageng, the father of the current Kgosi was one of the initial Bangwato cattle owners at the settlement.  Kgosi Bailaphuti says that his kgotla falls directly under the Tonota Kgotla, which, in turn, falls under the Serowe one. Born in 1928, Bailaphuti decries the levels of hooliganism by the youth, which, he says could be addressed better if all dikgotla were upgraded so that they are empowered to administer corporal punishment without having to defer to the senior kgotla, matters of punitive action.

The traditional leader is also not happy with the fact that villages 'younger' than Semotswane have been given a higher status than his village.  These villages have been given officialdom and rank because they have, for instance, the national flag hoisted there, a secretary, police offers etc.

Bailaphuti works very closely with the village development committee, the councillor and the department of agriculture in the development of Semotswane.  Emmanuel Motswagole, chairman of the village development committee, reveals that he and his committee are committed to the upgrading of Semotswane so that the kgotla occupies the same status as Mandunyane, which is run by a headman of record.

One of the challenges faced by Motswagole's committee is dire shortage of classrooms and accommodation for teachers at the village's only primary school.

The councillor, Peter Williams, whose ward includes Tonota West, Leomboko and Semotswane says that one of the outstanding projects at Semotswane is the upgrading of the health post into a clinic.  He proudly says that the last development plan achieved most of the intended projects.  He gives the example of the industrial site, which is ready, adding that it is now up to the land board to advertise the plots so that investors can declare their interest.

The councillor sees this as major development as the setting up of businesses in his ward would no doubt address the problem of unemployment, which in turn would alleviate poverty.

Williams is upbeat that private investors, especially chicken farmers, are showing a lot of interest in the plots. 

Currently, 'namola leuba' is the only source of income alongside teaching, nursing and shop-keeping.

It should be noted though that there is only one school, one health post and a few shops. With a tone of excitement, Williams, who has been a councillor since 2004, reveals that the community has identified a vast plot for a junior secondary school in Semotswane.

The informal sector is very much in evidence. There is a fleet of unmarked taxis at the junction, which gives one of the most efficient transport services in the country in the absence of sufficient public transport to Semotswane.

Williams commends this informal sector effort, which has saved limb and life because, in the past, according to him, due to shortage of transport, people waited at the stop sometimes even at night exposing themselves to thugs.

To counter the problem of dissolution associated with destitution and unemployment in the rural areas, the area councillor has introduced the SHHA and turnkey housing schemes to the people in his ward and is happy that they are taking advantage of the schemes.

Williams says that he and his constituents have actualised one of the pillars of Vision 2016. They have shown compassion to the destitute by building some houses for them. The councillor is happy with the state of the main road, which is tarred.  A foot bridge across the Tholodi River has been constructed to enable students to access Tonota Secondary School more easily.

The ploughing season is upon us and the Principal Technical Assistant of the Shashe extension area in the Tonota Sub-District, Gasebatho Kelegatile, has a lot to offer to the people of Semotswane. 

Under ISPAAD, he has started distributing seeds to the farmers in his area of operation.

He is educating the people about the aspects of ISPAAD such as free fertilisers, free fencing and borehole drilling at the ploughing fields by government for syndicates, the provision of tractors by government to the farmers, the free ploughing of five hectors, among others.

He regrets though, that because of the recession, government has not been able to buy enough tractors.

Kelegatile says that in the fullness of time, service centres will be created and manned by agricultural experts to facilitate better yields.