Kgame Xabo* has been working in Kentrek Feedlots in Gantsi for two years now. While his colleagues within the feedlot kept their distance in fear of a reporter with a camera, Xabo approached yours truly and poured his story out. He talked about the slave-like treatment they receive from their masters.The feedlot they work in is owned by one Nico and Berlin Henning. It is home to about 16 San and workers from other tribes. The Kentrek Feedlot is situated 10 kilometres west of Gantsi. Xabo and other employees take care of over 3,800 cattle of which 95 percent are destined for the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) in Lobatse.Xabo told Mmegi that on a daily basis when their Boer master knocks off, they are locked up in the dusty and smelly feedlot.
"When they leave they lock all the gates and turn on the electric fence. This place is like prison. We are not allowed to go out or talk to people at all," he said. He said that the Boers would at times come and accuse them of robbery and then punish them. His biggest worry in being locked-up is that in cases of emergency they cannot get out easily. "Two days ago, Ja's wife got very ill in the night," he said, pointing at another San who was drawing lines in the sand with a stick."She is a diabetic and was having seizures the whole night. We tried calling our masters but they never picked up on our calls or helped us with anything. We thought that she was going to die," he said. Xabo told Mmegi that there was no way one could get out of the facility even in times of an emergency.He said that all they could do was hope and wait for their master to arrive in the morning and open for them.
