the monitor

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
Child protection needs more than prevailing laws

The rise in defilement and missing persons cases, particularly over the recent festive period, points not merely to a failure of policing, but to a profound and widespread societal crisis. Whilst the Police chief’s plea is rightly directed at parents, the root of this emergency runs deeper, demanding a collective response from every corner of our community. Marathe’s observations paint a picture of neglect with children left alone for...

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