Hosanna, the Bakalanga rainmaking dance
Friday, October 22, 2010
Just 30 kilometers west of Francistown lies the small village of Makobo where a group of Ikalanga elders are quietly acknowledged as the veterans of the tribe's culture.
It was at a joint PSLE victory party and prize-giving day at Makobo Primary School last week that Mmegi learnt that the Hosanna, as a dance, also refers to the dancer who is old and wise.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...