Chobe District (Part 7)

This week we continue our historical outline of developments in the Chobe District. In our last instalment, we had noted that in 1935 the Susman Brothers began exploiting a timber concession in the northern quarter of the Chobe District with a sawmill and operational headquarters located at Serondella.

They subsequently sold their timber rights to Chobe Concessions Ltd., which was active in the region from 1944 to 1956. Altogether a total of 6.8 million cubic feet of hardwood, notably Rhodesian mahogany and teak, was extracted from the concession during the period, from which the Bechuanaland Protectorate Government received a total of 44,000 pounds in royalty revenues.

During the time of the Concessions' operations, Serondella grew into a town of just over 3,000 whose amenities included a cinema, beer hall, and retail outlets, as well as an airstrip.

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

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