Call to bar foreigners from harvesting phane

KENNETH BANDA
Correspondent | Friday November 30, 2007 00:00

At a Kgotla meeting called by Selebi-Phikwe East MP  Nonofo Molefhi on Wednesday, most residents said the new policy on the harvesting of natural resources has a loophole in that it allowed foreigners to harvest phane.

Phane is rich in proteins and is in high demand in South Africa where it is used largely for cattle feed. Some Ikageleng residents pointed out that in South Africa and Zimbabwe, foreigners are not allowed to harvest veldt products. James Ellart from the Central District forestry and range resources department told residents that he had come to explain the new policy on harvesting and not to review it.

He said their views would be taken into consideration when the time comes to revise the policy.

One resident, Silent Leburu asked Ellart if it was fair for the government to allow foreigners to come and harvest phane in Botswana after paying only P50. Leburu questioned why the government does not have a market for phane where traders can sell the delicacy. He said this would save cross-border traders the agony of having to travel all the way to South Africa to sell the product.

He complained that the introduction of the veldt products' harvesting policy is hampering informal traders who rely on phane for survival.

'There are taxes everywhere; now people are required to obtain permits to harvest natural resources. This is a burden in a country where there are a lot of people who are unemployed,' Leburu argued.

Another resident, Nonofo Baitshwenye said the government has effectively killed their source of income. She said most (for them) relied on income from phane and firewood to pay school fees for their children.

Keemekae Kambo blasted the government for introducing the new policy without consultations. He said the Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, Kitso Mokaila was supposed to come and explain to the residents why the new regulations were put in place.

'This is not fair; you are killing Batswana by introducing these regulations. Mokaila was supposed to come here in person and explain to us why these regulations were passed without consulting the public,' Kambo fumed.

A resident who only identified himself as Bagosi said it was unfortunate they could not do much about the new regulations. He said he was a cross-border trader who sells phane in South Africa. He said the introduction of the new policy meant that there would be a lot of paperwork for traders.

'We will have to pay on our side (Botswana) and on the South African side. As traders, we are going to suffer and we appeal to government for leniency,' Bagosi said.

He supports the government's advice to phane traders to form trusts so that they can get better profits if they sell their products in South Africa. Bagosi said stringent measures have to be put in place for foreigners who wish to harvest phane in Botswana.
'In South Africa, we are made to travel all the way to Pretoria to obtain the permits. The government must not be lenient with them (foreigners), let them obtain permits in faraway places like Maun,' Bagosi said. He supported the new regulations restricting trade in firewood and other veldt products the thumbs up, saying they are long overdue. He was supported by Joel Motshegwa who said the regulations were necessary to conserve the environment and ensure sustainable use of natural resources.

'There was a time when people were indiscriminately cutting thatching grass at any time of the year. I am glad that now this will be controlled,' Motshegwa said.

Like other residents, he is against foreigners being allowed to harvest phane in Botswana.
Israel Keletso welcomed the new regulations saying they will assist Batswana. 'There is a need to control the use of our natural resources. My appeal is to the authorities to explain these regulations in simpler terms to the rural folk. Elderly people do not know what you are talking about if you talk about kilogrammes,' Keletso said.

Under the new regulations, people are required to obtain permits at varying fees for certain quantities of natural resources harvested.