This false propaganda was broadcast in spite of the fact that the opposition had more relevant, more sensible policies that exposed the ruling party as a breed of hopeless politicians, who refused to learn from the vibrant opposition, they preferred to take advice from former colonial masters who rewarded them with effusive praise for adopting anti-Batswana policies which kept Batswana marking time, with but a handful of party elites, their families, relatives and friends enjoying a decent life.
The opposition from the start advocated dam building to make the semi-arid country to survive the lean drought years by practicing irrigated farming; opposition campaigned for beneficiation of raw materials to create jobs for Batswana and wean them from the dependency syndrome on government and to prevent crime associated with lack of the basic needs of life; the opposition further advocated import substitution where possible and empowerment of Batswana to stand on their two legs! Domkrag in contrast sang foreign direct investment (FDI), it never clicked on them that for FDI to be attracted the country had to have infrastructure, skilled labour and electricity to power businesses, industries and homes. Due to lack of skills, Botswana had to pay dearly for expatriate skills and unwittingly denied the country potential to develop indigenous skills. When ‘Education with Production’ was advocated by Patrick van Rensburg it was spurned as communistic education. We lost an opportunity to create a springboard from which to launch an industrial system for a better future for Batswana!
