THE SECOND MEETING OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT TUESDAY 09 MARCH 2021

ENGLISH VERSION HANSARD NO: 201 THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER The Hon. Phandu T. C. Skelemani PH, MP. DEPUTY SPEAKER The Hon. Mabuse M. Pule, MP. (Mochudi East)

Clerk of the National Assembly - Ms B. N. Dithapo Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly - Mr L. T. Gaolaolwe Learned Parliamentary Counsel - Ms M. Mokgosi Assistant Clerk (E) - Mr R. Josiah CABINET His Excellency Dr M. E. K. Masisi, MP. - President

His Honour S. Tsogwane, MP. (Boteti West) - Vice President Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Hon. K. N. S. Morwaeng, MP. ( South) - Administration

Hon. K. T. Mmusi, MP. (-) - Minister of Defence, Justice and Security Hon. Dr L. Kwape, MP. (Kanye South) - Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation Hon. E. M. Molale, MP. (Goodhope-Mabule ) - Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Hon. K. S. Gare, MP. (Moshupa-Manyana) - Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation Hon. P. K. Kereng, MP. (Specially Elected) - and Tourism Hon. Dr E. G. Dikoloti MP. (Mmathethe-Molapowabojang) - Minister of Health and Wellness Hon. T.M. Segokgo, MP. (Tlokweng) - Minister of Transport and Communications Hon. K. Mzwinila, MP. (Specially Elected) - Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Hon. T. M. Rakgare, MP. () - Development

Hon. A. M. Mokgethi, MP. (Gaborone Bonnington North) - Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs Hon. Dr T. Matsheka, MP. (Lobatse) - Minister of Finance and Economic Development Hon. F. M. M. Molao, MP. (Shashe West) - Minister of Basic Education Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Hon. Dr D. Letsholathebe, MP. (Tati East) - Technology Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Hon. L. M. Moagi, MP. (Ramotswa) - Energy Security

Hon. P. O. Serame, MP. (Specially Elected) - Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Hon. M. Balopi, MP. (Gaborone North) - Development

Hon. M. Kgafela, MP. (Mochudi West) - Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development

Assistant Minister, Presidential Affairs, Governance and Hon. D. M. Mthimkhulu, MP. (Gaborone South) - Public Administration Assistant Minister, Local Government and Rural Hon. K. K. Autlwetse, MP. (Specially Elected) - Development Assistant Minister, Local Government and Rural Hon. S. N. Modukanele, MP. (Lerala -Maunatlala) - Development Assistant Minister, Agricultural Development and Food Hon. B. Manake, MP. (Specially Elected) - Security

Hon. S. Lelatisitswe, MP. (Boteti East) - Assistant Minister, Health and Wellness

Hon. N. W. T. Makwinja, MP. (-) - Assistant Minister, Basic Education

Hon. M. S. Molebatsi, MP. (Mmadinare) - Assistant Minister, Investment, Trade and Industry Assistant Minister, Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Hon. H. B. Billy, MP. (Francistown East) - Development Hon. M. R. Shamukuni, MP. (Chobe) - Assistant Minister,Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND THEIR CONSTITUENCIES

Names Constituency

RULING PARTY ( Democratic Party) Hon. L. Kablay, MP. (Government Whip) - Hon. Dr U. Dow, MP. Specially Elected Hon. P. Majaga, MP. Nata-Gweta Hon. J. S. Brooks, MP. Kgalagadi South Hon. C. Greeff, MP. Gaborone Bonnington South Hon. T. Letsholo, MP. Kanye North Hon. T. F. Leuwe, MP. Hon. T. Mangwegape-Healy, MP. Gaborone Central Hon. S. N. Moabi, MP. Tati West Hon. T. Monnakgotla, MP. Kgalagadi North Hon. P. K. Motaosane, MP. - Hon. O. Regoeng, MP. Molepolole North Hon. J. L. Thiite, MP. Ghanzi North Hon. P. P. P. Moatlhodi, MP. Tonota Hon. A. Lesaso, MP. Shoshong OPPOSITION (Umbrella for Democratic Change) Hon. D. Saleshando, MP. (Leader of the Opposition) Maun West Hon. M. G. J. Motsamai, MP. (Opposition Whip) Ghanzi South Hon. D. L. Keorapetse, MP. Selebi Phikwe West Hon. Y. Boko, MP. Mahalapye East Hon. Dr K. Gobotswang, MP. Sefhare-Ramokgonami Hon. C. K. Hikuama, MP. Ngami Hon. K. K. Kapinga, MP Okavango Hon. G. Kekgonegile, MP. Maun East Hon. T. B. Lucas, MP. Bobonong Hon. K. Nkawana, MP. Selebi Phikwe East Hon. O. Ramogapi, MP. Palapye Hon. Dr N. Tshabang, MP. Nkange Hon. D. Tshere, MP. Mahalapye West Hon. M. I. Moswaane, MP. Francistown West (Botswana Patriotic Front) Hon. T. S. Khama, MP. Serowe West Hon. L. Lesedi, MP. Serowe South Hon. B. Mathoothe, MP. Serowe North Hon. M. Reatile, MP. Jwaneng-Mabutsane (Alliance for Progressives) Hon. W. B. Mmolotsi, MP. Francistown South TABLE OF CONTENTS THE SECOND MEETING OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT TUESDAY 9th MARCH, 2021

CONTENTS PAGE (S) QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER...... 19-26

Appropriation (2021/2022) Bill, 2021 (No. 2 of 2021) Committee of Supply

Organisation 0800-Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Committee of Supply (Resumed Debate) ...... 1-18, 27-32

Organisation 0500 - Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security Committee of Supply...... 33-58

Attachment for Organisation 0500 - Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security...... 59-60

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Tuesday 9th March, 2021 of providing food relief packages to affected families.

THE ASSEMBLY met at 2:00 p.m. A total of 429 255 households were provided with food baskets countrywide at a cost of Four Hundred and (THE SPEAKER in the Chair) Thirty-One Million and Ninety-Seven Thousand (P431 P R A Y E R S 097, 000.00). These were augmented by donations from the private sector, diplomatic missions, development * * * * partners and individuals. I wish to extend my sincere appreciation and thanks to all these donors as well as MR SPEAKER (MR SKELEMANI): Honourable the frontline workers, district and village leadership, Members, good morning. Can we start our business of including Dikgosi, Councillors, Village Development today with Committee of Supply. I hope Honourable Committees (VDCs), Village Extension Committees Minister Molale is connected. I have not seen him on (VETs), other village committees and stakeholders who the screen. were involved in this noble exercise. MR MOLALE: I am connected Mr Speaker. Mr Chairperson, some of the key lessons from this MR SPEAKER: Thank you. initiative include;

ASSEMBLY IN COMMITTEE (a) Lack of proper database for suppliers and their capacity to supply required food items timeously. (CHAIRPERSON in the Chair) (b) Lack of proper management information system APPROPRIATION (2021/2022) BILL, that could assist in monitoring the initiative and 2021 (NO. 2 OF 2021) identifying persons and households most likely to be affected. ORGANISATION 0800-MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL (c) Lack of district profiling is evident. It is necessary DEVELOPMENT to guide future interventions in terms of where and what resources can be mobilized within shortest (Resumed Debate) time in various localities. MR CHAIRPERSON (MR SKELEMANI): As (d) A phenomenon of overpricing of commodities it was indicated yesterday, this Head is allocated 2 comprising the food baskets especially the hours 25 minutes, and I shall call upon the Honourable agricultural produce, where we found that Minister to reply to the debates at 1255 hours today, and middlemen were getting commodities from farmers the question will be put at 1510 hours today. When the at pittance prices and selling to Government at procedings were interrupted by power failure yesterday, exorbitant prices. To remedy this, Councils have I had called upon the Honourable Minsiter to present his been advised to procure directly from producers budget, and he is left with 20 minutes. for value creation to farmers and reduce the cost to Government. MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MR MOLALE): Mr Chairperson, to address these challenges, my Thank you Mr Chairperson, and let me also apologise ministry is putting together measures aimed at obviating for yesterday’s mishap. I plead that you should tell them by: Honourable Motsamai and Honourable Nkawana that next time they try this, there will be serious trouble. (a) Developing comprehensive profiles of each district/town, to guide future interventions, Mr Chairperson, I was already on Paragraph 3 when we particularly in terms of guiding where, how and were interrupted, where I was saying that vulnerable what resources can be mobilised with minimum members of society were overly exposed to the negative effort in any given locality in the event of any impact of COVID-19 during lockdowns. My ministry incident or disasters; responded swiftly and effectively to cushion these citizens by spearheading a comprehensive assessment (b) Developing a national response framework of households to determine those in need with the aim that takes into account the unique aspects to an

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emergency feeding programme and develop it more productive and sustainable. The re-engineered practical guidance and materials for project programme focuses on maintenance of public facilities implementation in a manner consistent with good especially schools, maintenance of cluster fences, governance and other best practices. debushing of international boundaries, construction of Kgotla shelters and many more development projects at Mr Chairperson, recent developments including the local level. COVID-19 and fast changes in Botswana’s demographics and level of economic development has necessitated that The programme also aims to empower beneficiaries Botswana should embark on a Social Protection Reform through capacity building, skills development Programme, as this is also in line with the Botswana for sustainable livelihoods and compliment other Democratic Party (BDP) Manifesto. This will usher in a programmes aimed at employment creation and poverty new paradigm that goes beyond poverty reduction; that alleviation. I must place emphasis on the Ipelegeng needs, instead to build resilience, to redistribute wealth Programme being complimented by the Community and to invest in all Batswana so that they can contribute to and share in the benefits of growth, and to build a new Constituency Programme on maintenance of public social compact between the state and its citizens. infrastructure.

My ministry with the assistance of the United Nations Mr Chairperson, in pursuit of supporting sustainable Development Programme (UNDP) thus developed a livelihoods, job creation and building resilient National Social Protection Recovery Plan (NSPRP) communities, the Rural Development Council through which emphasises on the need for Botswana to its Natural Resources Technical Committee (NRTC) is consolidate its social assistance system that reflects the currently working on the development of a blue print vulnerabilities of individuals throughout their lives- to guide utilisation of natural resources with notable course. economic value. The emphasis will mainly be on remote and rural communities, as these have remained poor This is also consistent with the aspirations of the new despite their natural resource endowments within their National Social Protection Framework (NSPF) which environment. was approved by Cabinet in August last year. The Framework seeks to position the social protection We are going to roll out research prototypes undertaken system so that it can effectively and efficiently respond by institutions such as Botswana Institute for Technology to the varied risks and vulnerabilities faced by Batswana Research and Innovation (BITRI) and National Food of different age groups. Technology Research Centre (NFTRC) on veld products and other natural resources, most of which are found in One of the most critical components of this framework these rural and remote areas. These prototypes will be is the development of a Single Social Registry. The rolled out into tangible high value goods and services, development of this registry has started. We are currently some with the possibility of being exported. populating the system with data of Social Protection Programmes under my ministry, following which data The intention is to wean out rural and remote from other ministries will be captured. The exercise is communities from poverty and improve their livelihoods. expected to be completed by March 2022. I have already met and we will continue to meet with Honourable Gare and Honourable Letsholathebe to Both the Social Protection Framework and the Recovery chart the way forward on this very viable approach. Plan propose the consolidation of the existing suite of Maybe Mr Chairperson, the re-introduction of the 29 social welfare programmes across Government to Rural Industries Programme or its equivalent would properly reflect the five individual life-course stages; further assist towards the refinement of this approach. which are; expectant mothers and infants, school age, I am however aware Mr Chairperson, that the Minister youth, working age and old age. Further, it is critical of Investment, Trade and Industry is also working on to underpin these programmes with robust systems that consolidating Government development/assistance are common across all programmes, and all of them will programmes. be Omang based, so as to avoid duplication and double dipping. Mr Chairperson, I am skipping some of the paragraphs because I sent this speech last week to all members, so Mr Chairperson, my ministry pronounced last year that I believe they have read it, I am just reading a few for Ipelegeng programme had been transformed to make emphasis.

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Mr Chairperson, with regard to infrastructure, my BUDGET PROPOSALS FOR 2021/2022 ministry is concerned about the aging of infrastructure in major villages, towns and cities throughout the country, A total of Eight Billion, Five Hundred and Ninety particularly internal roads, storm water drainage, street Million, One Hundred and Sixty-Seven Thousand and lighting, as well as buildings. Most of this infrastructure Sixty-Eight Pula (P8 590 167, 068) is proposed for the was constructed more than 20 years ago and due to the Recurrent and Development Budgets for my ministry. economic downturn of 2008, we could not cope with The sum of Seven Billion, One Hundred and Thirty- the requisite cyclic maintenance. It should be noted that Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy Pula (P7 the provision of infrastructure in itself has potential to 137 157, 770) is for the Recurrent Budget whilst One increase productivity in key sectors that drive economic Billion, Four Hundred and Fifty-Three Million, Nine recovery and transformation, thereby contributing to Thousand Two Hundred and Ninety-Eight Pula (P1 453 employment creation. 009, 298) is for the Development Budget. RECURRENT BUDGET It is therefore my intention Mr Chairperson, to engage key stakeholders in both the public and private sector Under the recurrent Mr Chairperson, the Department of with proposals to embark on the renewal of this Local Government, Finance and Procurement Services infrastructure going forward. For this proposal however gets the largest share of Four Billion, Seven Hundred Mr Chairperson to be complete, the programme would and Fifty-Five Million, One Hundred and Twenty-Two have to include user fees for cost recovery measures to Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Pula (P4 755 ensure its sustainability. 122, 790) or 66.63 per cent of the ministerial budget. This amount includes Three Billion, Eight Hundred Mr Chairperson, I have also embarked on revamping and Thirteen Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Million, my ministry’s strategic plan. The strategy is inspired by Eight Hundred and Seventy Pula (P3 813 460,870) for Vision 2036 that will ensure a free, fair and prosperous the Local Authorities’ Revenue Support Grant and Eight Botswana guided by the principle of “Leaving No One Hundred and Sixty-Four Million, Fifty-Five Thousand, Behind.” Mr Chairperson, the plan will put my ministry Two Hundred and Sixty Pula (P864 055,260) for food firmly on the track towards achieving the transformation supplies. The remainder of Seventy-Seven Million, Six Hundred and Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty Pula plan and Vision 2036. It has six inter-related strategic (P77 606, 660) will be shared amongst other items. objectives that constitute its fundamental pillars. I must hasten to raise concern on the Local Authorities (1) This ministry has to be re-organised to be fit for Revenue Support Grant over its use. Ordinarily, this purpose to drive rural development, including grant should be used for the welfare and development installing organisational performance and of citizens. The reality is that at the moment, 61 per monitoring and evaluation. cent is used to pay salaries and other expenses which do (2) The ministry has to immediately start phase 1 of the not directly benefit citizens. That is the reason why the decentralisation process. Minister of Finance and Economic Development was talking about right sizing of the public service so that (3) The ministry intends to develop and implement a resources go directly to benefit citizens. Local Government Digital Transformation Strategy and Plan for efficient service delivery at the local The next department that gets the second largest level. share of One Billion, Five Hundred and Twenty-One Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Two Thousand, (4) The ministry will play a catalytic role in building Six Hundred and Thirty Pula (P1 521 872, 630) or 21 resilient and sustainable local economies, especially per cent of the ministry’s budget is the Department of through the local economic development strategy. Social Protection. These funds will cater for Old Age Pension at Eight Hundred and Fifty-Seven Million, Two (5) Provide effective and efficient local services of Hundred and Fourteen Thousand, Five Hundred and municipal infrastructure Ten Pula (P857 214, 510), Orphan Care Programme at Two Hundred and Thirty Million, Eight Hundred and (6) To provide inclusive, shock responsive and adaptive Ninety-Three Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Pula social protection services.

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(P230 893, 620); Destitute Cash Allowance at One Five Hundred and Fifty-Four Million Pula (P554, Hundred and Seventy-Four Million, Seven Hundred and 000, 000.00) Mr Chairperson will be used on the Four Thousand, Four Hundred Pula (P174 704, 400). Development of Primary Education Services that covers The remainder of Two Hundred and Fifty-Nine Million, maintenance and provision of new facilities. As part of Sixty Thousand and One Hundred Pula (P259 060, 100) the Decentralisation Policy process, Local Authorities will be shared amongst other items. must take full responsibility for construction of their projects whilst the ministry takes responsibility for The third largest share of my ministry’s budget is policy development and quality control. Only then proposed for the Department of Tribal Administration. will we be able to effectively deal with incidents like Six Hundred and Sixty-Two Million, Six Hundred and the Mogoditshane toilets construction. Incidentally, the Ninety-Two Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty Pula investigation report has been handed over to me. I am (P662 692, 740) which translates to 9.28 per cent of the studying it with a view to release it once the due process ministry’s budget goes to Tribal Administration. Out of has been followed internally. this amount, the sum of Five Hundred and Eighty-Six Million, Two Hundred and Thirty-Six Thousand, Nine The second largest share of Five Hundred and Twenty- Hundred and Ninety Pula (P586 236, 990) will be used Eight Million, Six Hundred and Nine Thousand, Two for personnel emoluments and the remainder of Seventy- Hundred and Ninety-Eight Pula (P528,609,298.00), Six Million and Four Hundred and Fifty-Five Thousand, goes to the Department of Local Governance and Seven Hundred and Fifty Pula (P76,455,750.00) will be Development Planning to implement the Ipelegeng shared amongst others. Programme.

The remaining balance of my ministry’s proposed Sixty-Three Million, Two Hundred Thousand Pula Recurrent Budget of One Hundred and Ninety-Seven (P63, 200, 000.00) goes to the Department of Social Million, Four Hundred and Sixty-Nine Thousand, Six Protection to continue implementation of Destitute Hundred and Ten Pula (P197, 469,610), will be shared Housing project, and the Single Social Registry project. amongst the five departments of Corporate Services, Tribal Administration is allocated Twenty-Three Community Development, Local Governance and Million Five Hundred Thousand Pula (P23, 500,000.00) Development Planning, Rural Development and Local for WIFI connection to 350 Kgotla offices across the Government Technical Services. country as well as construction of 31 Customary Courts across the country. DEVELOPMENT BUDGET Community Development Mr Chairperson is allocated Mr Chairperson, under the Development Budget, I Thirty-Seven Million Pula (P37, 000, 000.00) to be propose that a total of One Billion, Four Hundred and used on Remote Area Development (RADP) Destitute Fifty-Three Million, Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and Housing and Small Community Projects which take Ninety-Eight Pula (P1,453,009,298.00) be approved for Thirty Million Pula (P30, 000, 000.00) and Seven Development Programmes and projects an increase of Million Pula (P7, 000, 000.00) respectively. 9.91 per cent on the 2020/2021 year’s budget. At headquarters the ministry is proposing Eleven The proposed Development Budget will be shared Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Pula (P11, 700, as follows; (i) The largest share of Seven hundred 000.00) for construction of Gaborone Transfer Station. and Eighty-Nine Million Pula (P789, 000,000.00) or 54.3 per cent of the Development Budget goes to the In conclusion Mr Chairperson, I move that the 2021/2022 Department of Local Government Technical Services. Recurrent Budget in the sum of Seven Billion, One Out of these amount, a total of Two Hundred and Thirty- Hundred and Thirty-Seven Million, One Hundred and Five Million Pula (P235, 000,000.00) will be used on Fifty-Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy Local Government Infrastructure Services which covers Pula (P7,137,157,770.00) be approved and stand part Gabane and Tutume internal roads; donor funded of the Schedule of the appropriation (2021/2022) Bill Legolo and Mmopane-Block 8 internal roads; and the 2021 for Organisation 0800 and that the Development Mogoditshane and Tlokweng internal roads proposed Budget in the sum of One Billion, Four Hundred and under the Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan Fifty-Three Million, Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and (ERTP). Ninety-Eight Pula (P1,453,009,298.00) be approved

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and stand part of those Estimates. I thank you Mr going to manage to get that report from Semotswane Chairperson. village. If the issue of Semotswane delays like this Mr Chairperson, which I am very bitter about, I shall MR MOATLHODI (TONOTA): Thank you Mr have no other option but to appeal to His Honour the Chairperson. Good morning sir. I want to start by raising President to take action against Honourable Molale. I this point Honourable Chairperson despite the fact that will move on since I have limited time. Honourable Minister of Local Government and Rural Development did not mention it, Safety and Health I am worried about Dikgosi of this country. Honourable Officer (SHE) and Scorpion contracts are expiring Chairperson, there are Dikgosi who inherited those on the 31st March. I am raising it because we have to positions and those of Arbitration in this country. prepare well on time. I want to request the Honourable Headmen of Arbitration are not formally employed. Minister through you Honourable Chairperson, please Honourable Molale, go and employ Headmen of go and renew these contracts for another 12 months. I Arbitration to give them a stable life, they should work know you are going to tell me that there is no money until they are 80 years like Dikgosi who are in those but I will give you a solution; go and discuss it with the positions because it is their birth right. Our Headmen of Minister of Finance and Economic Development, hence Arbitration are uncertain because you usually terminate he is going to ask you to cancel them. In that manner, their contracts willy-nilly. This is something I heard… go and engage him so that you may assess and find how there is a Setswana proverb ‘e se re go buela dikgageng, many posts you can manage to pick and ensure that magakabe a le lebile.’ (‘Even if you skin it in a ditch, the their budget makes an equivalent to what we can pay pied crows will see you,’ which means there is no secret them for 12 months. This can be able to sustain these which cannot be revealed). contracts for 12 months. After 12 months then I pray Mr Chairperson this item should be made budgetable What I hear out there is that there are reports that as part of the ministry’s expenses. I am moving on. I contracts of Dikgosi are terminated based on whether have made my point on that issue and I plead with the you are from the opposition. If those reports are true, Honourable Members to support me wholeheartedly on I will prepare questions which you will you be unable the issue of SHE personnel and Scorpion. to answer because at the end of the day, opposition members are citizens of this country. Furthermore, if Mr Chairperson, I complained to Honourable Molale their contracts are terminated, you are setting a trap for about Semotswane village which is in my constituency His Excellency the President such that in future when in December. We have never had a Kgosi for six years. he visits that village, all the people will leave saying Honourable Molale’s ministry assigned two Magosi this is the person who terminated the contract of our to assess and finalise this issue few months ago. I told Kgosi. Honourable Chairperson, some Dikgosi are Honourable Molale in person! I did not write a letter nor former employees and they receive pension which is called him but I personally told him that I was informed taxed; they are currently receiving an allowance which that Magosi finalised a report about Semotswane is taxed. Honourable Members, I implore that former village. Go to Kgosi Radipitse of Tonota so that he can employees should no longer be taxed, they should only summon leaders of Semotswane village to a meeting, be taxed when they are working. give this report to Kgosi Radipitse and village leaders so that they can inform villagers about it. That is what I Let me go to Mandunyane Village; during the 9th personally told him. To date Mr Chairperson, they have Parliament, I requested a vehicle from your ministry for not done anything about it. A Setswana saying goes, Mandunyane village. As I speak to you now, the vehicle “thota e e senang khudutlou bo lobeto ba ipha naga,” has been seized! Kgosi, Dikgosana and the community which means, where there is no leader there is no order. of Mandunyane have not been consulted. Go and return “Tiyatiya e letisa thojana,” which means that justice that vehicle. That is an act of total disrespect towards the delayed is justice denied. community of Mandunyane that after Government gave them a vehicle, it is seized just like that. We need that I want to request Honourable Leader of the House vehicle as early as yesterday. I am moving along. through you Mr Chairperson that, we have permitted churches to accommodate 50 people per service. In Headman of Record has long passed away, the one a like manner, let us also allow 50 people to attend a who was based at Tonota main Kgotla but was never Kgotla meeting. If we do that, these 50 people are replaced. We should include him in the budget so that

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Kgosi Radipitse can appoint someone who will replace thank Minister Molale regarding the budget proposal Kgosi Hetanang who has passed away. May his soul rest he presented before us, but due to time constraints, I in peace. Kgosi Radipitse should be allowed to appoint will be quick. Mr Chairperson, let me talk about the whoever he chooses to that position. I am moving along. service centre at which the Government has long established for us. It is supposed to service villages of Shashe Mooke Village; the Kgotla structure of Shashe Lephephe, Sojwe, , Shadishadi, Loologane Mooke has been blown away by wind 16 months ago and Shonono. Mr Chairperson, there are no services but I do not hear what the Council and Tribal employees provided from this service centre. It does not offer are saying, yet it was constructed with Government services as we were promised that we will access a lot funds. Honourable Molale, roll up your sleeves and see of services there. There are no services people receive to it that the structure is built. from there and they are complaining that Molepolole I am moving on to Tonota West which has long been is far; travelling from Lephephe to renew Omang or established in 1998. Honourable Members, we pray pay for license is expensive. I implore that the ministry for the village infrastructure of Tonota West. Before I should take action and assist our Council. move along from Shashe Mooke, I had long requested What will our council do when there are no resources? that the village needs a second primary school because As we approved the ministry’s budget Mr Chairperson, the school has 1, 100 students. Honourable Molale, they should ensure that all the resources they promised please build a second school for us because parents are people at Sojwe and Lephephe are delivered so that they now sending children to Francistown which is not good can get assistance from the service centre. for the village. Build a second school for us at Shashe Mr Chairperson, let me implore the ministry again Mooke. that we have a school called Boatlaname. This school I love paragraph 26 of your speech. If Government performed poorly in Standard Seven and the problem does not have enough funds, go and request for funding is lack of electricity. So I would like to remind the from the Chinese as they just built a school at Chobe. Minister that since we approved his budget, Boatlaname We also want that school at Shashe Mooke. I request Primary School should be installed with electricity so for six classrooms, administration block, kitchen and that our children can connect computers and be taught storeroom at Foley. All primary schools at Tonota as a like children in other schools. The teachers there can constituency have at least five classes which are taught also have the motivation to teach our children because outside. Mr Chairperson, I attended lessons outside, so the poor people are currently facing challenges. What are my grandchildren going to endure the same; they can a candle do Mr Chairperson these days? I implore are going to be taught outside under the tree, sitting on the Minister to install electricity at Boatlaname Primary the ground? No, go and solicit funds Honourable Molale School. and address the backlog eradication; all schools should be built. Honourable Chairperson, I am beginning to The other thing Mr Chairperson is complaints. Mr panic because my time is up. Chairperson, the people I am representing are of low Revenue support grant; please councils like Tonota, income, they mainly rely on Honourable Molale’s Hunhukwe; rural councils should benefit more revenue ministry. support grant as in Paragraph 49. Ask urban councils to generate their own revenue in order to reduce their I have a problem Mr Chairperson; at our rural areas revenue support grant and channel it to the rural councils. after people went to the hospital and they have been diagnosed with diabetes or high blood pressure and Please, the last one; Honourable Molale be serious about the doctor recommend special diet for that individual. transforming sub-councils into full councils. May God When they get to the Social Worker’s office, they refuse bless you Honourable Chairperson. to assist that person. They say things like they cannot be controlled by a doctor on the type of food to provide. Mr MR CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Honourable Chairperson this is a huge concern as I just mentioned Moatlhodi. Honourable Kablay, followed by Honourable that I am representing people who are disadvantaged. Lucas. If a person is diagnosed with diabetes, where is he/ MR KABLAY (LETLHAKENG-LEPHEPHE): she going to get money to buy special diet food? Mr Thank you Mr Chairperson. Mr Chairperson, let me also Chairperson, I request the Minister to explain that is

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it the right practise for the Social Worker to refuse to pleading with you Honourable Member that, you should follow the doctor’s orders? In our view, if the medical remember that for the Chieftainship of Mokwena to doctor wrote that recommendation he would have tested exist, we should have a chief at Loologane, so that the that person and established the assistance they should chief can take care of his people. Where is the affirmative get. action Mr Chairperson? Our villages in remote areas are assisted a lot by affirmative action. If we do not use it So, when a social worker just refuses when he or she and when I am at the Kgotla I am asked, Member of does not have any expertise of a medical doctor Mr Parliament, where is your affirmative action, how do I Chairperson, it is not a good thing. I request the Minister answer Mr Chairperson? Let me remind Minister that to clarify to me if it is according to procedure or was no, let us not do that Honourable Member, let us work it just a decision of the social worker only who makes hard so that Loologane can be assisted. that decision at a rural area, because we are people from Let me address the last point and say, Letlhakeng like I rural areas? was saying a few days, I... The other thing Mr Chairperson, I am very happy MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Boko is asking for because I have heard that the Village Development elucidation. Committees (VDCs) are now a wing of the Councils. I think our VDCs and their salaries will improve. We MR KABLAY: There is not enough time Honourable will be very thankful Mr Chairperson for the salaries of Member. I have talked about it Honourable Member, the VDC members to be better. These people are doing I was even talking about Letlhakeng not so long ago a great job, when visitors come to a village, the VDC is that, why can it not be a district? Letlhakeng has responsible, when a Member of Parliament visits, VDC grown Mr Chairperson and there are big villages that is responsible for the preparations. Sometimes they are surrounding Letlhakeng; villages like , , Motokwe, , , , even contribute P5 each to buy a two litres of Coke, and , Mantshwabisi and , which have put it on a table so that as the Member of Parliament is higher population. The funds they are given as a sub- speaking, he or she can be drinking that Coke. You can district Mr Chairperson are not enough for a constituency see how these people Mr Chairperson are dedicated to that big. Our constituency Mr Chairperson should be a their villages. So, I am pleading Mr Chairperson that no, district. I am thankful that it has been a sub-district for these people have long been promised to be rconsidered. such a long time. Mr Mokgothu worked hard when he When will that happen Mr Chairperson, as challenges was still the Member of Parliament for this constituency, never end? When challenges come to an end, next year long time ago, 40 years back he said Letlhakeng should we have new challenges. Let us just make a decision and be a district. So I am in Mr Mokgothu’s shoes, and I see how much those people can be paid, so that they can am reminding you that, what Mr Mokgothu was saying also assist us. is still there in the Hansard. It is not like we just spoke Mr Chairperson, I have a problem as we have long yesterday that we want Letlhakeng to be a district, it was been talking about a car for Mantshwabisi Kgotla. I long said by Mr Mokgothu 40 years back. I am pleading have long been promised that a car will be bought for with you Honourable Member that, when you designate Mantshwabisi Kgotla, up until now. Minister, where is districts, you should not forget Letlhakeng, include it, the car that I was promised for Mantshwabisi Kgotla? it is a large constituency Minister which should be a Mantshwabisi is a village that has many remote areas. district sir. We want them to develop like districts are So what is the poor chief supposed to do? How will he developing. Thank you Mr Chairperson. manage to attend these many cases when he does not MR LUCAS (BOBONONG): Thank you Mr have a car? I am reminding you Honourable Minister Chairperson. Let me comment in regards to Ministry of that, let the car be availed at Mantshwabisi so that our Local Government and Rural Development. This is the people can get assistance. ministry we can really use to develop districts, and even when they are praising themselves they say, “People Mr Chairperson, I have long been talking about the first” (Bathopele). So this ministry can assist us to chief at Loologane. What is the problem with our chief empower the people and provide them with resources. at Loologane, why is he not promoted? Those people have a good relationship with their chief, he is the one I would like to start with Decentralisation Policy. who understands them. What is the problem? I am Honourable Molale, your ministry has long promised,

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if I remember well, it has been more than 10 years since Money should stop being delayed by passing through we talked about Decentralisation Policy, but it was not major centres. I do not think it can be anything hard, we implemented and it was never brought to Parliament. do not need money from Honourable Matsheka, and it Honourable Molale, I am pleading with you that can save money if we are serious about it. That means when you answer today, you should tell us when the that decentralisation will also have to be implemented Decentralisation Policy is coming to Parliament, tell us at Tribal Administration as time goes on, in regards the exact dates, give us a very clear timeline, it should to issues of Tribal Administration. We are concerned not be a case of saying it is coming whereas it is not Honourable Member because we hear that for Tribal coming. Moreover, I have shown you that as you keep Administration to be able to be decentralised, it is on delaying the Decentralisation Policy, that means that evident that we might have to review the laws... you are delaying resources to be taken to the people. Put more effort Honourable Minister, and stop talking MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Lucas, unmute about the same issue which is not implemented. We yourself. know that the other issue that you like talking about is HONOURABLE MEMBER: Mr Speaker, I have lost the one of review, and the other one that seems to go on contact with the Member on the floor. forever, is that you will implement whereas you are not implementing. Stop the talk, it is time for action. MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Lucas, unmute yourself. I agree with those who are saying most of the sub- districts should be full districts, and that does not MR LUCAS: Mr Speaker, can you hear? need the Constitution to be amended. Honourable MR CHAIRPERSON: We can hear you. Molale, you are the one who always tell us that for sub- districts to become full districts, they do not need an MR LUCAS: It is a cause for concern that when you go amendment of the Constitution. Since you always use to an office belonging to Kgosi, it is written on the door the Constitutional review as an excuse, now what is that he is acting. We are saying it is high time we had a delaying this issue of sub-districts to be full districts? full Kgosi, who is not acting for anyone. I believe such Is it just not laziness? I am pleading with you to take an arrangement is also found in Boteti, Tutume and other action on this issue Honourable Molale, and you should areas. This is something that has to be amended, so that give us very clear timelines; you should tell us that at we can have Dikgosi, so when the Tribal Territories Act this time, the following sub-districts will become full and the Constitution are amended, such a thing should districts. I am pleading with you Honourable Member also be amended. to give us the timelines. Our sub-district of Bobirwa, the belief is that it qualifies to become Bobirwa District We also want that to happen at the land boards; sub-land Council. As you designate them, which we believe will boards take time to deliver their mandate and to allocate be this year, you should know that we are waiting to land. If there are issues from the land board in areas like become Bobirwa District Council. It does not need an ours, some of them end up going to Serowe, and there amendment of the Constitution, so let us move on and would be many delays before these issues are addressed. stop the idle talk that is never implemented. It is necessary for land boards to be autonomous, those in Tutume, Boteti so that they would be able to deliver Honourable Molale, I heard this from you where you on their mandates fast. Currently, it takes forever for said, this money for Revenue Support Grant, you are land boards to do their work because they have to go still amazed that when it is supposed to reach places like through other places. Honourable Members, we want the Bobirwa, Goodhope or Tutume, you are wondering why independence of land boards just like the independence it has to go to major centres like Kanye, Serowe, or other of Dikgosi and Councils. places that that money goes to. Honourable Molale, tell us clear timelines which you will commit to, that this As I proceed, this ministry is talking about rural year, April 1, when the Revenue Support Grant comes development, but we cannot talk about rural from your ministry, it goes straight to the sub-districts. development when there are no jobs at the rural areas. Our money that is supposed to go to Bobirwa, let it go It is necessary that every area should have a major straight to Bobirwa. Money for Goodhope should go to industry, as Honourable Motaosane was saying, that Goodhope, the one for Tutume should go to Tutume. every area should have a major development project. I

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am saying every district should have a major industry, needs of someone living with disability. At the moment, a manufacturing industry which employs about 1 000 the allowance of people living with disability is too people or more. When people are working, it means menial such that they are not able to meet their daily developments can come quickly in a district and the needs. They cannot make a living; they cannot even buy poverty could be reduced. If the only job is to work at food for themselves. the Kgotla, at the hospital, clinic, that on its own cannot help to develop the rural areas. The rural areas have Let me conclude by saying Honourable Molale, it shows to have works, and for that to be possible, we have to that at your ministry corruption has grown. When you ensure that Government plays a role in those industries. talk about issues from your ministry, it is not clear We cannot just depend on the private sector; the private what you are going to do about the corruption that has sector wants to do businesses in cities and towns. The spread and grown in your ministry. It shows that during Government has to participate so that there could be COVID, although you are saying you gave people food, industries in rural areas. There should be an industry there are some funds that vanished, they were devoured in Bobonong, Gobojango, Tsetsebjwe that employs the by corruption. I thank you Mr Chairperson. people in that area in significant numbers, and at the end MR THIITE: Mr Chairperson, I have swapped with of it all those people are the ones who are going to assist Honourable Monnakgotla for the Ministry of Local with raising the economy of that area. Government chapter.

Let me rush to the issue of social welfare and assisting MS MONNAKGOTLA (KGALAGADI NORTH): the needy, and those whom not because of their choice, Thank you Mr Chairperson. As Honourable Thiite found themselves in a situation whereby they cannot assist themselves. What we are observing is that this has said, we have swapped. Let me thank you for assistance, especially which involves money, you will giving me an opportunity to comment and support find that our people are given about P500 at Ipelegeng, this budget request Mr Chairperson, as we know that P500 for the elderly pension, the disability allowance is Local Government is the one that develops the public P400 and so forth. We are saying these allowances that service employees back in the villages. I will start with are given to people are not in line with the cost of living. Kgalagadi North as a sub-district, and say time is already It is necessary that when the Government who loves up for it to be a fully-fledged council. From Hukuntsi to people comes up with programmes like this, they should Tsabong is far, one travels for 540 kilometers (km). We consider the cost of living, and then put an amount that report in Tsabong all the time. You should consider this is commensurate to that. point, so that Kgalagadi North could be independent. I will echo this over and over again. What is happening now is that things are happening based on capitalism, whereby if you are not able in life, When considering Kgalagadi North, there is a shortage of you are paid less. Maybe that on its own, one would be Social Workers, but as the Local Government, you have encouraged to look for a job for themselves, and still been given a responsibility to address issues of abuse, there would be no work because we know there are no especially for women and children. This is something jobs. Therefore, that is why we are saying the old age that needs Social Workers, especially at the settlements; pension must be increased to P1 500 because the cost they are not enough. Honourable Minister, look into of living obliges that they should earn that much. Those this issue of Social Workers because there is too much at Ipelegeng also should be given more funds than what violence, and Social Workers, VDCs and Dikgosi are they are receiving now, maybe they should also go up the ones who can address this issue of violence. to P1 500, considering the cost of living, because things are expensive. You cannot say we are giving them that Coming to the issue of Dikgosi, once a Kgosi departs bit because half a loaf is better than nothing. No, the this world, it takes time to replace them. This has to be assistance they are getting is basically not good, actually looked into because it ends up brewing conflicts in the it is tantamount to disrespect and we believe they need village. In addition, if a village does not have a Kgosi to be improved. or if a Kgotla does not have a Kgosana, it is not good. Kgosi is someone who brings peace. Consider this issue People living with disabilities; living with disability Minister. Now coming to Dikgosi once again, especially is very expensive; therefore, their allowance has to be in Hukuntsi, there are no Clerks for Dikgosi. When a increased significantly, and it should be in line with the Clerk goes on leave, it literally means Kgosi does not go

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to work. It means the work for Kgosi ends up piling up, one of the reasons why learners are not performing well. hence this should be addressed Honourable Minister. While still on this issue Minister, I toured schools with Assistant Minister Honourable Modukanele. He found Let me talk about Kgalagadi North, there is a Kgotla in out that Ngwatle School does not have a kitchen, the Tshane which was long brought down by winds, even structure is there but there were no tables, stoves and up to now Minister, it has been almost a year. Kgosi pots. The question that comes to one’s mind is, what is is not working. Please let this Kgotla be fixed, so that the procedure there Minister? Let us address this issue. Kgosi can work. We also do not have a place to hold We are expecting teachers to produce good results but Kgotla meetings. The VDC does not have a place to that school obtained a 12 per cent pass rate. Leaners meet, and even though Kgosi has accepted the situation, have failed, because they do not eat well. Let us pay he asks me about it all the time. Please look into this attention to how these children live. Honourable Minister. Moving on, we are aware that Kgalagadi North consists Now when I talk about this ministry having to develop of many settlements and there are no roads and vehicles. villages and the public service… Council vehicles last only for a year before they break HONOURABLE MEMBER: Mr Chairperson, I down and it takes time to replace them yet we know kindly request for elucidation. I cannot type because I that there are no roads at Kgalagadi North. Let us pay am noting the points of those who are debating sir. attention to this situation because when they present a Budget to purchase vehicles, it becomes a problem. Let MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Monnakgotla, us keep an eye on this issue. Minister Molale is asking for an elucidation. Learners who go to Hunhukwi school, if you could have MS MONNAKGOTLA: I yield. seen them last time, they were transported to school in MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND trucks. When they are collected from their settlements, RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MR MOLALE): they are transported in trucks to go to school. They were Elucidation. I did not hear you clearly, did you say an at the back of those trucks during a rainy day. Their office or a Kgotla shelter in Tshane? clothes were wet and the situation was disheartening, it was messy. You could not know where the child was MS MONNAKGOTLA: The Kgotla shelter in Tshane as well as where their clothes were. When I looked at that was long brought down by winds, the work station that situation, I cried because I also have a child. This is for Kgosi. Thank you Minister. Public servants in heart-breaking, so let us correct this situation or at least Kgalagadi North do not have accommodation, and that secure truck buses for them. being the case, they rent houses in the village and that is not good. I was at Kgalagadi North, particularly at Hunhukwi, there is a hostel for 165 learners. I was there with Teachers’ houses have collapsed, they were destroyed Minister Modukanele. I asked him to accompany me by winds which were experienced last time at Lokgwabe there so that he can go and see the challenges that we and it is taking long to correct this situation. When are facing in Kgalagadi North. Those learners play you get to the District Council, they tell you that there with stones. They throw stones at one another and you are no funds. Funds have been released Minister, pay would wonder why swings are not assembled for them attention to this issue. We are far from developed place, since they stay there. They do not have balls; they throw and we know that when public servants are told to go to stones at one another and they will end up hurting others Kgalagadi, they are always hesitant to go there. They Honourable Minister. Let us keep an eye on these lives work to the best of their ability. Minister, pay attention because the minister asked, “how do these children to these issues. Let us pay attention to accommodation play?” the teacher responded by saying, “when they are of public servants. As teachers houses have been picked from their homes, they refuse to come to school, destroyed by winds, you have to keep an eye on this they have to refuse because they do not live well here.” situation Minister. How do they play because we know that learners are not Classrooms; our children do not have classrooms. We supposed to play, they have to go to school. I present are far from amenities and that is why Kgalagadi North these issues to you Minister. I have been to Hunhukwi schools are underperforming. Shortage of classrooms is School and the other thing which raises a concern is the

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issue of uniforms, they are not provided with uniforms. I heard the Minister explaining that he would dedicate a They do not dress well at all. Seeing a learner going project officer who will be focusing on different council around barefoot in this era? No, no. I am a mother, no, projects for optimal service delivery. I would really let us address this situation. appreciate it if that can happen. I would like to agree with the speakers who debated before me, that when we I will now move on to the issue of VDC; it has to make promises, they should indeed be implemented. be looked into. VDC supports the village. It is the We strongly believe that if that project officer can be Parliament of the village and as it is the Parliament appointed, council projects would be looked after and of the village, every time when visitors go there, all attention will be given to how they are executed. village developments, in the morning when they wake up, they go to Kgosi to work with him. They oversee I am also grateful that the Minister has intentions to train what happens in the village and what should be done. extension officers. If you can do that, it will eliminate Do something about their allowances, increase their or stop the challenges that we are experiencing at allowances. They do community work most of the time, our districts. If you can take a look at our respective so let us pay attention to that. Mr Chair, can you please constituencies, officers who are there work in silos. update me with time. They do not work as a team. The other one would be pulling to the other direction. If you can train them at MR CHAIRPERSON: It is about to finish, 20 seconds. rural areas they should work together knowing that they MS MONNAKGOTLA: Before I forget, let me move are a team. on to the issue of Gender-Based Violence; Minister let Honourable Molale, if possible, I wish that you us pay attention to child abuse, especially in schools and could do what we observed when COVID-19 started, settlements. Let us see how those children go to school especially Minister of Basic Education. He released a more especially those who stay far away. Let us see… team of experts from the Ministry of Basic Education so that they can go out there and see the challenges MR CHAIRPERSON: Thank you. Your time is up! which are found in villages. I take it that Ministry of Honourable Pule, then Honourable Motsamai. Local Government and Rural Development should do HONOURABLE MEMBER: Mr Chairperson, check the same thing as they would be doing their strategic the list which they have submitted to you sir, I suspect plan, every year they should send out high government that you might have missed my name. officials to go to the districts like Kgatleng District. They should go there and see the challenges and address MR PULE (MOCHUDI EAST): Thank you Mr Kgotla meetings. It should not appear as if Members Chairperson for giving me this opportunity. I would of Parliament are the only people who go out there to also like to thank the Minister for the speech that he address Kgotla meetings even though high ranking presented. We applaud him because he is specifying public servants are there at the Councils, closer to the challenges yet failing to address them. The question that some of the plans that he intends to execute when I am asking myself is that when you draft a strategic it comes to developing his ministry, he even talked plan, you use Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and about National Social Protection Recovery Plan which Threats (SWOT) analysis, we look at the Strengths, consists of National Social Protection Framework. Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats which are there Since you drafted the National Protection Framework, at the constituencies, so which tool is used by Councils it shows that you want to go somewhere. to draft their strategic plan because every time when we HONOURABLE MEMBER: …(Inaudible)… go to the Kgotla meetings, that is when we are told about the challenges which are found in the constituency. We MR PULE: I thank the Minister for explaining that would then have to come to Parliament to discuss the Ipelegeng is going to be revised in such a way that it challenges even though there are people who should would carry out permanent projects. The truth of the address these challenges at constituency level. matter is that they have been carrying out tasks which are not beneficial to us. Sometimes they cut trees We are grateful that there is a Chinese company you alongside showgrounds and so forth. These are some of mentioned that it has built a school and it is planning to the things that you cannot show in future because those build another one at Kazungula. I also need a primary trees grow every year when it rains. school at Oodi. In your consultations, please draw their

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attention to Oodi. The population of children at Oodi Honourable Molale, Tribal Administration in my has increased since it is located near the city. The school constituency is complaining that it is ignored. I am is overpopulated. We need a second primary school at grateful that you said you will install Wi-Fi there. By Oodi. so doing, it would mean even the villagers will be able to have access to information especially the youth who Honourable Minister, you talked about infrastructure. I are in search of jobs. My request is, let us be swift am happy when you talk about infrastructure because in assisting Tribal Administration with vehicles and every time I am in Parliament, I always explain that other resources that other departments have. The most there is no how we can develop without improving disturbing thing is that sometimes Magosi are sent a infrastructure in constituencies. Like you said that we new contract when the old one expires the next day. are going to have Wi-Fi in Dikgotla, let us agree as The poor person would have been agonising the whole councils that the internal roads you mentioned should be month about what is happening, wondering if he will get built and maintained. Truth be told, the road situation in another contract or not. So, we should look into these our constituencies is displeasing. If you go to Kgatleng matters and address them. or Mochudi East specifically, you will be disappointed with the state of our roads. They are damaged, you Poverty Eradication Programme is not well implemented. cannot travel on them, the situation is bad. The residents Honourable Molale, Poverty Eradication Programme of Phalakampa for instance are forced to travel in may be under Office of the President but it affects your bad roads to go buy milk or loaf from Mochudi since beneficiaries. Those people who are being helped out tuckshops have closed down because of COVID-19. of poverty are from the areas that you assist. Therefore, These are some of the things that we need to consider you need to check what is impeding this programme. and make sure that roads are built and maintained. For example; there is a village with 62 projects but only Honourable Molale talked about a draft Decentralisation three are functional yet you funded 62 beneficiaries. Policy. I would like to echo the sentiments of those There must be corruption somewhere, maybe a team of who debated that this policy is overdue. If we cannot experts can go and check what kind of wastage this is. implement it, we will not manage to do anything. Lastly, I have noticed that Mochudi East has a limited It needs to be brought to Parliament to be approved number of social workers and Honourable Molale, you and implemented. After approval, we need to draft cannot function under social protection without enough Implementation Framework. Doing that is an indication social workers. You must have enough social workers that we are serious about having developments in our deployed in various areas especially hard to reach villages. places. Villages such as Phalakampa and Ramotlabaki Like Honourable Members who spoke before me said, which are far must have social workers because that is we need to review Village Development Committee where most problems are. This needs to be addressed. allowance. Everywhere I hold Kgotla meeting, VDC Clinics need attention especially in Mochudi East members are complaining that they are now working because there are no nurses. Sometimes you find that like permanent employees because they are called often they do not have other resources like sanitisers in a yet it seems like their allowances are not reviewed. clinic. You can imagine those resources that are health If you cannot give them salary, at least increase their issues and they are not available! allowance so that they may be motivated to work hard knowing that although they are volunteering, they have Honourable Minister, in conclusion, I support your something to put on the table at the end of the day when budget proposal and I wish that you work with us so they get home. that our constituencies develop. Supervision should be improved in rural areas because I have realised that your Honourable Molale, there is another issue of police departmental administrators ignore rural areas. Thank volunteers, they are paid late all the time and I do not you Mr Chairperson. Thank you so much. know what the problem is. I once talked to the Station Commander at my constituency and asked if they never MR GREEFF: Procedure Mr Speaker. With due respect push for these volunteers to be paid on time as they do Mr Speaker, please look at our debate list, I think you police work. It is discouraging to do such a rough work might have skipped me a while back if they gave you like this one and when it is month end you are not paid. that list the way it was Sir.

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MR CHAIRPERSON: I just told you that you are not are saying that you have suspended those issues. So you there, I have it, and it shows that you are not in that list. must also understand that residents of those areas are So blame them. suffering, no one is settling their disputes but you are saying they are not allowed to vote because of COVID. MR MOTSAMAI (GHANZI SOUTH): Thank you The truth of the matter is, you also relieved them during Mr Speaker. Let me take this opportunity to thank COVID. The question therefore is, why did you do that Honourable Molale for his proposal. He is not the first during COVID? Did you realise that there is COVID Minister of this Ministry to present a Budget proposal. after releasing them from work? You can see that we Ministers came and left who talked about good policies still have COVID, so call those Dikgosi to work, extend such as decentralisation and so on which could benefit their contracts because they have been serving with people. May I request him to be different when it comes excellence. to making promises so that he may leave a legacy behind since he recently mentioned that he has no intention of Some Dikgotlana such as Metsimantsho, Ncojane and campaigning in the next elections. We want him to leave others in different areas, those who need Arbitrators or a legacy behind which will be enjoyed by some of us Headmen of Arbitration, appoint some of those Dikgosi who will campaign and win the next elections. to them. Additionally, you must amend the conditions of services for Headmen of Arbitration. I am going to bring Honourable Molale, I want you to address the issue a Bill which request us to review this Act because it has of service centres that you have built in rural areas to been overtaken by events. We cannot expect them to go bring services closer to people. Right now those service to work every day only to settle disputes. They have to centres are enjoyed by owls and bats since they are prosecute some cases or portray their power, that they not used. Find staff and accommodate them to provide are revered as Dikgosi. services to people. What is the problem Honourable Molale? This is the second time I am raising this issue I will quickly move on to the next point sir. If you with you, please put more effort or in other words, wake can go to Karakubis village, you will find that they do up and see what is happening. not have a single car in their Dikgotla and in some of their settlements. Their cars are sometimes taken to Let me also ask you to assess settlements again and see Central Transport Organisation (CTO) for maintenance if in Ghanzi South, there are no settlements which can be and it is a process which take a very long time. These upgraded to village standards so that they can be given Dikgotla therefore do not only require Wi-Fi but must better and permanent services. They should not forever also have secretaries who are as well paid good salaries. remain destitutes but should also have something of I am saying this because they are the ones who guide their own. Upgrade their services where their clinics can operate 24 hours, have maternity wing and so on. Dikgosi when settling disputes. They also take minutes when settling disputes, the Kgosi pass judgement based Internal roads; I must point out that although there on their advices. Unfortunately, they are doing a very are big companies which are allocated internal road challenging job but we fail to give them good salaries. projects, sometimes they end up disadvantaging people. You should look at the issue of big companies which Let me quickly move on sir. Honourable Molale, we close roads which take services to people. You cannot also have the issue of social benefits; Old Age Pension, close some of the roads which people use when going I relate it to the issue of Ipelegeng. Like Honourable to church; a road which was built by Council. How do Lucas suggested, let us increase old age pension to P1, you close a road that goes to the Kgotla, a road that 500. Let us not hide behind COVID. We have raised goes to the guest houses? That shows that we are not this issue long before COVID and you discarded it so improving lives of people. If at all we are improving now that there is COVID, you are hiding behind it. The their lives, then we are doing that spitefully as if they do question is, why did you discard it before when there not deserve developments. was no COVID? In that manner, let us give them P1, 500. Let us at least pay Ipelegeng workers P1, 500. Let Tribal administration; sir, do not only tell us about us also give VDC Chairpersons better payments. There Wi-Fi, rectify this situation. Last time I reminded you is no one who can afford to go to Kgotla every morning that you relived Dikgosi from duty at Ncojane and while they are paid like slaves, a situation where their Karakubis on the basis that they are old. Right now you children do not have anything to eat.

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There is yet another issue about policies for people it so that they will be able to perform the many tasks living with disabilities, we have to review it sir. When that they have. someone has a condition of blindness like we have those kind of people at Karakubis, those who have been blind Sir, I am grateful because you managed to improve for 12 years, then you ask them whether they are able Ipelegeng; both young people and elders who work at to go to rest rooms on their own and when they say yes, Ipelegeng are going to be assisted with capacity building. you tell them that if you are able to do that it means This means when they leave Ipelegeng, they would have you are capable, you are a disabled person who is also accumulated skills that they are going to use to earn a capable. What kind of capability are you referring to? living especially that we continue by maintaining public Will they be able to run for their life if they are attacked infrastructure and cluster fencing as well as maintaining by a lion? So, let us review these issues. our Dikgotla structures. These are some of the projects that we do which they may accumulate some skills from. I will conclude with the issue of rural areas Mr Chairperson. Decentralisation Policy is an idea which Honourable Molale, you have long promised us was brought by Botswana National Front (BNF) a long decentralization, so I need a time frame as to when time ago. It is recorded in some books such as Social councils are going to be empowered because all of us Democratic Party (SDP) and Pamphlet Number 1. have realised that it is indeed important to do that. If We have been requesting you to approve it for a long they are empowered, they are also going to be able to time Honourable Molale, if you have done that, we are implement some projects knowing that they have full grateful. Let us exercise it so that people may benefit independence to run them and meet the time frame. from it. Our intention is to make sure that people vote for The other thing is to digitalise council which is going to Chairpersons of their Councils instead of Councillors. ensure that tasks are done within set time frames. You Finally sir, I will talk about some of the roads which will realise that during lockdown, it was a challenge lead to our settlements; different settlements in my for councils to find statistics as well as find the number constituency, Kweneng, Kgalagadi and areas like Boteti of needy people so that they can be assisted. It was a and Ngamiland. Let us ensure that we maintain these difficult task while people continued to suffer because roads, let us indeed take services to them. Let us do that of hunger. If this information was available in our and refrain from claiming that they are not assisted on system such that it can be accessed through internet, we the basis that a car has been damaged and remained like would have assisted people with those services at the that for a long time. They are really lagging behind, so right time, that is, within a short period of time. let us repair these roads. As I speak, there is no single Moving on, we have to improve social protection road which was tarred by Government in Ghanzi, a road services. We have been using them to rid people from which leads to areas where Basarwa reside. This is a poverty. You will realise that COVID-19 requires great act which shows the highest degree of spitefulness. us to carry out new research. We have to make new Can you tell us what the problem is Honourable Molale? assessments on those who have been running informal Take action, visit that area perhaps you will find how businesses because many of them have been affected, you can assist them. Do something about Old Age they are no longer in business. Those who are still Pension as soon as possible because we are going to be carrying on with business cannot benefit from those old one day, so we will need that money. I really wish businesses. That alone requires us to engage more staff, you will get it too. I do not want you to regret in future those who can carry out that research across the country. because you failed to rectify it when there is still time. Thank you Mr Chairperson. If you can visit Francistown, you will find out that those who are doing businesses are in distress; you will find ASSISTANT MINISTER OF YOUTH those in the informal sector displaying two tomatoes, EMPOWERMENT, SPORT AND CULTURE two potatoes and one onion then allude that they spend DEVELOPMENT (MR BILLY): Thank you Mr the whole day on business. Chairperson. I thank Honourable Molale for presenting his budget proposal which addresses your issues of So COVID-19 has hugely affected the informal sector. concern. This is a very important ministry, it is the The majority of the population at Francistown are in mother ministry of all our ministries. Therefore, when informal sectors, so we have to conduct new surveys. discussing this budget, we must allocate more funds to We should make a follow-up on the businesses we

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funded through poverty eradication programme. This is better than the second city in terms of roads because at a disheartening situation. There is no longer economic Francistown, there are potholes everywhere. Know that activity at Francistown, it is dry Minister, so since your businesses are affected if there are potholes on the roads. ministry slogan says ‘bathopele’, meaning ‘people first’, There is man-made traffic which during that time a you should go and conduct a full research to see how person could have been at work but now you spend a lot the livelihoods of Francistown residents are because it of time dodging potholes and there is a lot of unmoving is important to change their livelihoods. traffic. We have to seriously address this situation because it affects the business life of Francistown city. Scorpions; I fully agree with Honourable Moatlhodi that It also affects as it increases unemployment because if all Scorpion and Safety and Health Officers (SHE) who businesses do not perform well, they do not employ, were hired should be given an extension. Why? Because they rather retrench because they are not making profits. it is clear that these officers were executing this job to their optimal. The Police have reduced their task of The other issue we should seriously address is storm police masking. They also reduced the workload at the water drainage. When I was a Mayor of Francistown Councils, as these officers now travel in homesteads and in 2007, there was a draft of a storm water drainage streets to encourage people to wear and use masks which master plan by the city of Francistown. To date, the is important in our unending fight against COVID-19. draft is lying there, it has not been implemented. At We should know… let us evaluate the systems that we Francistown during annual rainy season, there are apply and if we realise that there bear fruits, we should floods which I believe are deliberately caused because if re-apply them. Let us not focus on how much money the master storm water drainage plan was implemented, we are expending, rather we should also look at the we could not be experiencing these challenge we are benefits. I agree with you Honourable Moatlhodi that encountering. I want to understand when the funds will we should extend contracts of Scorpion officers because be available in order to finance Francistown master plan it is beneficial. At the end of the day, the money we are storm water drainage? trying to save, who are we going to spend it on if people have all died? Mr Chairperson, I explained that it is important to set timelines for projects. This Ministry is important…like I The other issue Honourable Molale is that you should said, this ministry is the mother ministry of Government pay attention Minister who I duly respect; at council so if some projects are not implemented, it delays there are two authorities in charge of electricity, so we progress in development of other ministries. cannot have a programme that is run by two different authorities. We have Botswana Power Corporation It seems the Motions and resolutions are not regarded. (BPC) and Council, you will find that some street lights Honourable Molale, since your ministry acts as an are under BPC, some are under Council. Council finances oversight to the Councils, please ensure there is some BPC to maintain. The task of BPC is not to finance, it assistance that you offer as the ministry to implement is to maintain streetlights which are under BPC. So this resolutions and Motions passed at the Council. Ministries calls for the Council to be allocated enough funds so that are not responding to Motions and resolutions passed at they are able to finance and maintain streetlights under the Councils. So one might wonder considering the long them. If you look at the current situation, Francistown is periods taken by full councils sittings, if resolutions and dark. It is very dark and this is caused by the fact that we Motions are not implemented, why spend so much time have two authorities running the same programme. So and sitting allowance? We believe local governance can there is that overlap, therefore clarifying this will assist help a lot in developing… us to rectify these mistakes. MINISTER OF TERTIARY EDUCATION, The road levy, where is it Honourable Molale? I want to RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY understand where the road levy is because it could assist (DR LETSHOLATHEBE): Thank you very much Mr a lot in repairing roads especially those at Francistown Chairperson. I thank you Mr Chairperson for affording which are overdue for maintenance. Majority of internal me this opportunity to talk about this important ministry roads at Francistown are overdue for maintenance but more especially those of us at the rural areas. Let me it is important for the road levy to help in filling up the thank the Minister for his presentation and also thank potholes. There are so many potholes in the second city the staff at North East District Council for their good as if you are driving in a rural area. Rural areas are now team spirit. Our National Development Plan (NDP) is

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a bottom-up approach so they are the ones who interact they were talking about the issue of the money that with Batswana and gather their ideas then submit to was left as they do not know how much may be left us, so I want to thank them. I thank the Minister for so that they can make progress on other projects. You talking about the food baskets of which he said he will could just realise that that was lack of communication. review and see where the gap is, this will help us in Hopefully, the Coordinator will assist on issues like future to close the existing gaps. So let me thank you, these because the money for Constituency Fund assist a it is something which will help a lot, Batswana had so lot in improving the services at the villages. many complaints regarding this food basket. Internal roads Mr Chairperson; let us thank the Minister National Social and Protection Recovery Plan Mr because I heard him address the issue of internal roads. Chairperson; we fully embrace it. It will assist us to This is a big challenge. Something that made me interact with Batswana who require our assistance and uncomfortable is that it seemed like he concentrated this would especially help …(Inaudible)… the National in big villages. If I can just quote some part of that, Social Protection Clinic which is being established so he said “in major villages, towns and cities.” Us at that there can be a single social registry. It would help constituencies like Tati East we do not have things like to combat double dipping and other challenges which major villages, towns and cities, but our internal roads will result in Batswana receiving better assistance, so I are a problem. Not so long ago I was going all over thank him for that. the constituency and it was hard to travel around. The roads in villages like Matshelagabedi, Tati Siding and Mr Chairperson, we thank the Minister for talking Themashanga were inaccessible because their internal about Ipelegeng, we remain hopeful at Tati East that roads are a problem Mr Chairperson. It is something the transformed Ipelegeng will work well. All those that he is supposed to look into and see how he can guidelines should be publicly shared so that the public assist us on our issues. Constituency Fund can help but know how Ipelegeng is going to be used so that they the money is just not enough. benefit. We remain hopeful that Ipelegeng will address some of the current challenges, for example, public The other issue that is related to internal roads is storm facilities at Tati East are dilapidated. Mr Chairperson, water drainage systems in our constituencies. There if the guidelines of Ipelegeng are properly followed is poor storm water drainage in our constituencies. and people who are responsible for running them fully Travelling after it has rained is just a problem. The likes comprehend them, it will help us to solve such problems. of Tati Siding turn into rivers after the rains. During rainy seasons, you will find that it is just a challenge. We have trained youth in our brigades, vocational Even issues of poor street lighting, we do not know who trainings who are staying at the rural areas so we can to look to because you will find that our areas are dark now engage them to carry out tasks I just mentioned Mr and for some of us who are from places that are nearer Chairperson. to borders, you will find that there is a lot of crime there. Minister, I request that we look into this situation One thing I am hugely grateful for and would encourage together to see how we can assist each other. that it should be quickly implemented is the appointment of Ipelegeng and the Constituency Community Mr Chairperson, Decentralisation Policy, it is something Programmes Coordinator. It is something that there has that is long overdue. Let me thank you because when we been confusion about, you will find that it is not known spoke not so long ago, I heard you say that you are going who is who when it comes to giving advices. to councils to talk about this issue. Bring that issue to Parliament so that we can approve it. It is something When I talk about Constituency Community that can assist us a lot and we have long been waiting Programmes; Constituency Fund, it is one of the things for it. It will help us to improve the service we provide that we will have to look at. Let us thank the councils to the people. We are emphasising the issue of services because they are assisting us to run it, and let it be at Tati East. conducted properly; information should be provided to the people so they can understand. Councillors are An issue like the one of sub-district will assist us Mr the leaders who deal with the people there, and when Chairperson. Constituents travel from far places like I consulted them not so long ago, many of them were Matopi, Shashe Bridge and Patayamatebele, going past complaining that they do not understand their balances… Francistown to go to Masunga. You will find that the

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things that these poor people could achieve, they end up You addressed the importance of Bogosi Minister. Can giving up on them because of the long distances. If you you ensure that this issue is attended quickly in order to could look into this and maybe set up a sub-district the improve our service delivery? These people are doing a other side of the railway line in Tati East Constituency, good job. It is something we should attend. that can make Batswana of Tati East very happy. Unemployment; yes, it is a challenge Minister. Let me The other issue that I would like to address is the one of thank you that you organised a meeting between us, you digitalisation. You talked about it and it can really help. called us and the Minister of Agriculture Honourable In the meantime, we have halls that are not utilised and Gare, and we discussed something which was really … are just there. Nowadays, there is no need for brick and (inaudible)… my ears. The other thing that I think we mortar. If you have your laptop and you have a young can sit down and discuss and we can help Batswana to person, and the other one in a satellite office is focusing move forward in order to tackle this much employment on Ipelegeng, if he or she has a laptop, it is a moving is the issue that you spoke about of the natural resources. office. Then they can assist the people and the things It will go a long way to help the people in the rural areas that they cannot do are the ones they can take forward. to make ends meet Minister. It is something we should Let us look at that and move away from the issue of look into so that we can move on. I am also in talks brick and mortar and see if we cannot utilise the space with the ministry and research centres to come in and that we have and distribute our officers so that they can assist. I was so happy not so long ago when I was at assist us. Tsamaya and found that there is a committee that has been established which is going to deal with natural Accommodation of public officers at rural areas; we resources. Batswana come a long way knowing how have a challenge. I appreciate that councils try to help they can conserve their natural resources. We used to but we still have a lot of challenges. One thing that we know that when the mophane worm was on the ground know is that Batswana do not like working in rural areas. and transitioning to be a pupa, it could not be harvested When they get there, they do not find accommodation, as it was the seed. That is something we can use to assist that is the excuse; one will just refuse and say, ‘I no them Minister. longer want to work at Butale or Senyawe because I do not have accommodation.’ We have to act quickly Digital transformation; we should be thankful for the to see how we can help. We should also look into these gadgets that you are going to bring to Dikgotla. Let LA2s that are being built which will assist us, and even them be utilised to assist the youth to establish their costing them. We should ensure that the little we have, businesses Minister. Thank you Mr Chairperson. Thank because we really know that there is no money, they are you very much. properly costed so that we can see what we can do about the accommodation of public officers, Mr Chairperson. MR CHAIRPERSON: Thank you Honourable Minister. Honourable Reatile, you have six minutes. Dikgosi, Councillors and VDCs Mr Chairperson; these are some of the people that you have mentioned MR REATILE (JWANENG-MABUTSANE): Thank Minister when you began, that they are important you Mr Chairperson. Mr Chairperson, let me thank in your ministry. Let us engage them even more Mr you for the time you have given me so that I can also Chairperson and empower them. I cannot be specific on comment on the request that Minister Molale has put each and every one. Some Honourable Members talked before us. Let me just start by saying we heard the about them in regards to their salaries and other things. Minister and how he intends to utilise the money he One thing that I think that you can empower them with is requesting this financial year. Let me just start by is information. Those are the people who work mostly saying Honourable Molale, we have heard you. Let me with people at rural areas. So, if we can empower them start by pointing out my concerns about this money of with information, they can assist Batswana in time. Economic Transformation Recovery Plan (ETRP), the P800 million which you indicated that you will be using One thing that is really heart-breaking at our constituency during the Mid-Term Review of National Development in Tati East is the appointment of Dikgosana. These Plan (NDP) 11 in this financial year. The next year you posts have long been vacant because unfortunately we indicated that you have a request that you will use about lost people who held them, and these posts are not filled P500 million on ETRP in 2022/2023. In regards to this in villages like Mowana, Matshelagabedi and Matsiloje. issue Honourable Molale, you are the one who planned

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it and this is not similar to the original plan that was wants to recall and there is no one who ever mentions there, which we were reviewing in regards to ETRP. this from his or her ministry. I am wondering how much I believe that when you got here, with your talent and these people have sinned, what have they done, whom ability, you could have verified issues like the one where did they offend so that they can go and apologise to you took this money and constructed roads at the likes whoever they wronged. I do not know what we have of Tlokweng, Mogoditshane, which is a good initiative, done wrong. but you should have ensured that even us at Mabutsane Sub-District are included as we believe that we could Honourable Molale, you took a good decision to expand have been ETRP beneficiaries because you know, you the villages of Mahotshwane, Kutuku and Kanaku so are a witness that our sub-district is one of the first in that they would have Dikgosi. I thought in this budget Botswana, especially in the south but right now that is you would be mentioning that you have sourced funds not evident. I am really wondering that the people of for them, which you would use to build an office for Mabutsane Sub-district, how much have they sinned them so that they would have clerks as well. It is and what have they done that they are not told about? Dikgosi who are still operating like Headmen, they These people should go and apologise to the person they sit under trees there, they do not have offices that they have wronged so that they can also have a good life in work in. Those in Mahotshwane became lucky because Botswana. They should know that when they pay taxes, Debswana has built an office for them. What is missing they pay them so that they can benefit them. That is why here Honourable Molale is that we should ensure that I assumed we could also be beneficiaries of the ETRP. the people of Mahotshwane have a vehicle at the Kgotla Let me move on. that would assist them because Mahotshwane is in the outskirts and it is vast, and it covers many farms. The one in which I would like to thank you is where you The other thing that I would like you to assist me pointed out that projects will be taken care of by the local with Honourable Member, know that the issue of authorities. We have a challenge because the people at inclusiveness, which we are now preaching in the the ministry who are said to be technical, have a way Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) should show, of keeping projects for themselves at the ministry, and leave no one behind. When we talk about places like their duty is just to award jobs, from there supervision Kanaku and Kutuku, these are the two villages for is not done properly, the councils then would not want Basarwa who are in the Ngwaketse area. So when we to interfere, because there is a spirit of...(Inaudible)… have Dikgosi in Kutuku and Kanaku, and then we fail to which has taken over in these projects. This issue has be proud that we have built an office in a village where to be addressed, and be condemned unsympathetically. Basarwa dwell, this is sad; Tribal Administration has There is too much theft when the projects are there. built accommodation for the clerks at the Kgotla, they When we are supposed to talk about these issues and live much better. we do not become bold, this country is going to vanish; In Khakhea, we have a primary school, it is all countries are going to surpass us. We are going to be oversubscribed. We request a second primary school in one of the histories that will be taught about in Africa, Khakhea village Honourable Minister. We need to build that ‘there was once a country called Botswana, this it on the other side of the village because the other one country had a very stable economy, it just disappeared is filled to capacity. It would be appropriate that ina and we have no idea why it disappeared like that,’ yet not so distant future you build another primary school in it would be people who would be dealing with projects Khakhea Honourable Minister. and procurement who would cause that. Therefore, I… Mr Chairperson, the other issue I would like to address Honourable Molale, is that we have heard about the P23 MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Reatile, thank million, which is going to try to upgrade the offices and you very much. I will now call upon the Honourable Dikgotla, and that there will be ICT infrastructure there. Minister to reply to the debate. Honourable Molale, I will continue giving examples, we have about 13 years having been promised an office MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND for Kgosi at Mabutsane; it is supposed to be upgraded. RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MR MOLALE): Thank About P5 million was set aside for that. Up to now, you Mr Chairperson. I am glad that my brief speech there is no one who is mentioning it, there is no one who enabled about nine Honourable Members to debate in

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the time that was remaining. I am also glad because I now during this season of COVID-19, and we say only take what they are saying as feedback because where 50 people should come, we would be brewing cases for things do not happen properly, I always try to give an ourselves, as we already have cases which came about alert. Ordinarily, Members of Parliament are the eyes of as a result of COVID-19. Now if we do things during the Ministers; they look deeper into things so that they this season of COVID-19, we are going to increase the would be corrected, especially because they are the ones number of cases. That is the challenge we are having. who give the budget a green light. We could employ Headmen of Arbitration if funds The other thing Mr Chairperson is that, since we do permitted. You will recall Honourable Member that not have that much time, what we shall do as part of they were not paid in the previous years but this time the feedback is that we shall respond to all points that around they are paid, not a salary but just a token of were raised here in writing and submit them to the appreciation to show that we recognise and appreciate Members of Parliament. I agree with most of them, the their job... unfortunate part is that some of the things which were mentioned, as Honourable Lucas was saying, it is what MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Molale, it is now we have captured here, and this basically informs me just past 1 o’ clock, let us adjourn for lunch and try to be that although we tried to issue the speech on time, it back at 2 o’clock. Thank you very much. seems some Members did not read. It now appears as if PROCEEDINGS SUSPENDED AT 1:00 P.M. FOR we have to go back and answer what has already been APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR answered in the speech, and it would now appear as if we are using up time unnecessarily. PROCEEDINGS RESUMED AT 2:00. P.M.

Nonetheless, let me start, after thanking you Honourable MR SPEAKER (MR SKELEMANI): Honourable Members and say, I have heard you. If things went Members, let us resume our business of today with well, I could be increasing the budget that I have been questions. given. As Honourable Moatlhodi was talking about the Scorpions, that we could take the funds earmarked for QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER increasing the committees in the whole country towards ELECTRIFICATION OF MAJWANAADIPITSE increasing the allowance a bit for them so that there VILLAGE could be more for them. When you take something from this side to that side, you open the gap here, and we MR B. MATHOOTHE (SEROWE NORTH): asked know that there is no money, especially during this time the Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology when the COVID-19 has hit us hard. So the Scorpions and Energy Security when Majwanaadipitse village in could ultimately become a budgetable item, but as I Serowe North Constituency will be electrified. explained when we were at Boipuso Hall, they have not yet become a budgetable item. That is why we devised MINISTER OF MINERAL RESOURCES, GREEN a way of getting from somewhere; one project had to TECHNOLOGY AND ENERGY SECURITY (MR be forgone, to make sure that the Scorpions are hired. MOAGI): Thank you Mr Speaker and good afternoon. Going forward, politically it will be a good thing, but Mr Speaker, the assessment for both network extensions budget wise it is a challenge. We have to make choices in electrified villages and new village electrification is here, and these choices must reflect the way we wish to carried out on an annual basis. Electrification of villages do things, and to see things done. is an ongoing phased approach or programme under which un-electrified villages such as Majwanaadipitse No, Honourable Moatlhodi, it is not that we do not are considered for electrification alongside other know, the way I see things, we talked about Semotswane villages. village, as you have also said, and there are other things which I explained to you that we have to make a follow Mr Speaker, the pace of electrification is dependent on up on. When the State of Emergency started, some laws the availability of resources, and not all villages can be were not waived or suspended, the Bogosi Act included. electrified at the same time, hence the phasing ofthe It was not suspended. The Bogosi Act says when Kgosi project. Majwanaadipitse village was budgeted for in is appointed, the people have to come to the Kgotla for the current financial year, but has not yet been successful the inauguration, according to what the Act says. Right due to budgetary allocations, and shall be considered

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along with others for electrification in subsequent in each of these districts is as follows; Ghanzi financial periods. I have got a list of all those villages 34, Central District 734, Southern 285, Kgatleng here together with Mokgware and so forth and they shall 5, Kgalagadi 20, Kweneng 10, North West 39, form the lineup for the next financial year. I thank you making a total of 1, 161. The overall employment Mr Speaker. number of 1, 161 over the total number of 1, 461 who graduated successfully represent an SPECIAL DISPENSATION PROGRAMME FOR employment rate of 82 per cent. The rest of the RADS CHILDREN graduates have either gone for further studies or MR T. B. LUCAS (BOBONONG): asked the Minister are unemployed. of Local Government and Rural Development to state: (iv) The number of RADP beneficiaries who (i) the total number of Remote Area Dwellers graduated from Lepokole, Robelela, Tshokwe (RADs) children who have benefitted from the and Damochujena in the Bobirwa Sub-District special dispensation programme for admission and the number who found job placements into tertiary institutions in each district since its through the Affirmative Action Programme in inception; the above mentioned villages are as follows; Lepokole, number of those who graduated is 30, (ii) the total number of who successfully graduated those who found placements is 12, Robelela, from their programme of study in each of the graduates 15, those who found placements is 4, districts; Tshokwe is 23 and 21, Damochujena graduates 14, with 8 placements, making a total of 82 and 45 (iii) the number of RADS children who successfully respectively Mr Speaker. I thank you. graduated and were able to find jobs in each of the districts; and MR LUCAS: Supplementary. Thank you Mokgomong. (iv) the number of RADS children who graduated in As Ministry of Local Government and Rural Lepokole, Robelela, Tshokwe and Damochujena Development, do you have a policy that you use to in the Bobirwa Sub-District and the number who secure employment opportunities for graduates who found job placement through the affirmative action stay at the settlements? I realise that when you look at programme in the above mentioned villages. an area like Lepokole, there are 30 graduates and out of ASSISTANT MINISTER OF LOCAL these 30 graduates, only twelve people found jobs and GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT that is less than 50 per cent. Do you have any written (MR MODUKANELE): Thank you Mr Speaker, thank special arrangement or an affirmative action that secures you Honourable Lucas for the question. job opportunities for graduates?

(i) Mr Speaker, the total number of Remote Area Secondly Honourable Minister, it appears that when Development Programme (RADP) beneficiaries, most of these young people from settlements find jobs who benefit from the special dispensation in other areas, sometimes they are challenged with programme for admission into tertiary institutions experiencing the discomfort of staying in those areas. Do since its inception in 2010 stands at 2, 389. This you have any arrangement in which job opportunities in consists of 156 from Ghanzi, Central District their communities are specifically secured for them so 894, Southern 318, Kgatleng 21, Kgalagadi 163, that they are the ones who develop their parents since Kweneng 550 and North West District with 287. they will be closer to them and they are also familiar with their culture? Thank you Minister. (ii) Mr Speaker, the total number of those who successfully graduated from their programmes MR MODUKANELE: Thank you Mr Speaker. Thank of study in each of the districts is 1, 416, with 60 you Honourable Lucas. Let me just say that we probably at Ghanzi, Central District at 775, Southern 285, may not have a written policy, but we try by all means to Kgatleng 17, Kgalagadi 102, Kweneng 38 and assist graduates to find jobs. As for the second question, North West 139. yes, the truth of the matter is that where possible, we do try to ensure that they find jobs there because it becomes (iii) The number of RADP beneficiaries who easy for them to relate easily with areas that they come successfully graduated and were able to find jobs from.

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I was discussing the same issue with Honourable Department of Social Welfare. It is one of the things Monnakgotla over the weekend when we were at which are part of the affirmative action. We assist them Kgalagadi North. She also said it is always better that through social workers to find them vacancies where it they find jobs in areas they come from as they are able is appropriate. Thank you Mr Speaker. to relate better. Those who assist them are able to relate with them better unlike when they have been placed far. SELLING BUSINESS PLOTS BY CITIZENS I do agree with that observation. Thank you Mr Speaker. MR G. KEKGONEGILE (MAUN EAST): asked the MR HIKUAMA: Supplementary. Thank you Mr Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Speaker. Thank you Honourable Minister. Thank you Services: for the answer. If you manage to admit 2 389 students (i) if there are any measures in place to safeguard the and only 1 460 manage to graduate, did your ministry interests and welfare of citizens by disallowing assess reasons why a large number did not succeed? citizens owning one business plot to sell it Secondly, you answered that question but, I did not hear and promoting of leasing rather than selling to you clearly regarding the 139 that graduated and got foreigners; and employed, so going forward, do you not think that as (ii) to state the ministry’s plan in reviewing laws that part of the affirmative action, as a Ministry that deals impede the implementation of intended strategies with the students, you should reserve some posts for to protect citizens from capital giants. them so that, they do not graduate and then become unemployed? Thank you. MINISTER OF LAND MANAGEMENT, WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES (MR MZWINILA): MR MODUKANELE: The first question is, what Thank you Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, Government prevented the 82 per cent of graduates from being through my ministry’s efforts to protect and promote hired; I think that is what you are saying. Honourable the land rights of all land holders, paragraph 69 (iv) Member there are various reasons why that is the case. It of the Botswana Land Policy of 2015, had provided is something that we continuously review and evaluate that, “a person will not be allowed to alienate their to see what interventions can be made to make sure that last residential plot acquired directly from the Land at the end of the day, these students pass their courses in Authority.” The intention was to maintain Government’s large numbers than we have at the moment. effort to empower Batswana through access to land for Two; the question you are asking is, as part of the shelter and as a source of production, and to curb citizen affirmative action, why do we not reserve posts for dispossession and to discourage speculation. them; really, as much as one wishes, that to be possible, Mr Speaker, the same paragraph was removed from the at the end of the day, it is a function of whether there are policy in the Revised Botswana Land Policy of 2019. posts which we may not necessarily have all the time Mr The removal of the prohibition followed a Lobatse High Speaker. Thank you. Court ruling in case number MAHGB-000566-16 where MS MONNAKGOTLA: Supplementary. Good Tlokweng Land Board was the first respondent. The High afternoon Mr Speaker and thank you. My question to the Court ruled that the policy pronouncement was unlawful Minister is, how are children at settlements assisted with as it contravened Section 38 of the Tribal Land Act and applications? We were together at the settlements, when unconstitutional as it deprived the beneficiary of their they said they do not have access to the DailyNews to be right to transfer property without due compensation. able to apply. Thank you Honourable Minister. Based on this precedent, the banning of transfers of last plots in any land use category remains unlawful. As a MR MODUKANELE: Thank you Honourable ministry, we fully comply with the judgements of the Monnakgotla. Yes, DailyNews is an issue but for your Administration of Justice. information, this morning I talked to the responsible department about this issue for the settlements. They Mr Speaker, I further want to indicate that a large promised that they will follow it up, just for feedback. proportion of the transfers have been from Batswana to foreigners, and this has created a situation where Applications; Honourable Monnakgotla, as you are citizens are actively involved in dispossessing and aware, these children work very closely with the disempowering themselves. In addition to the above,

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I would like to add that the decision by the citizens discretion, so we do not agree. We agree with what the to sell their business plots is a business decision, in Constitution says, that, “a person has a right to decide which Government should not interfere especially in what they want to do with their possessions. Thank you. a free market economy such as ours. Having said that Mr Speaker, Government has put in place various legal RELOCATION OF CLINICS TO THE MINISTRY measures that discourage the transfer of land to non- OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL citizens. A case in point being the recent amendments DEVELOPMENT to the Transfer Duty Act Cap. 53:01, which imposes a MR O. RAMOGAPI (PALAPYE): asked the Minister hefty 30 per cent transfer duty on non-citizen transfers. for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Furthermore, Mr Speaker, transfers of all tribal land and Administration if Government will consider relocating non-tribal agricultural land to non-citizens require the clinics back to the Ministry of Local Government and consent of the Minister responsible for Land in terms Rural Development for improved health care systems of the Tribal Land Act Cap. 32:02 and the Land Control at districts as was the case before their placement at the Act Cap. 32:11 respectively. Mr Speaker, in considering Ministry of Health and Wellness. these applications for consent, I do interrogate whether ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR PRESIDENTIAL leasing rather than selling to a non-citizen is an option. I AFFAIRS, GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC thank you Mr Speaker. ADMINISTRATION (MR MTHIMKHULU): Mr Speaker, as of now, there are no plans to relocate clinics MR KEKGONEGILE: Supplementary. Thank you back to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Mr Speaker. Honourable Minister, currently you are Development. Our commitment as of now is to build talking about the Constitution and High Court ruling, capacity of the health sector without disturbing what but the Constitution is coming for a review, and again as currently obtains. This is primarily because any change Parliament, we are law makers. The question is, is your has to be carefully managed so that it does not have adverse impact on the beneficiaries, being our people, ministry amenable to having those Motions included especially now when we are fighting an epidemic that in the Constitutional review when it is brought before requires our relentless efforts in our pursuit of winning. Parliament, looking at the fact that, you believe as a ministry that this prejudices people? That notwithstanding Mr Speaker, Government is currently working on the Decentralisation Policy Secondly, you are speaking against non-citizens. In this which will provide strategic guidance on public service case we find the citizens more treacherous than non- delivery, the health sector included. I thank you Mr citizens when it comes to buying land. Do you not think Speaker. the same measures taken against the non-citizens can be used against the citizens to improve the situation and MR MMOLOTSI: Supplementary. Thank you Mr protect people’s land? Like you mentioned, it becomes Speaker, minister, are you aware that the Minister of heart-breaking when one becomes a squatter because Local Government and Rural Development, Honourable their land has been repossessed. Thank you Mr Speaker. Molale, has already promised or he has assured Parliament more than once that clinics are going to be MR MZWINILA: Thank you Honourable Speaker. decentralised to councils? Currently we comply with the decision made by court concerning this issue. We agree with the advice they MR MTHIMKHULU: That is true, we are going to gave us concerning what the Constitution says that, “if a do that based on what Decentralisation Policy says person has some possessions, they have a right to make which Government is still working on. It going to guide a decision on what they want to do with them.” This us in terms of distribution of projects. In that manner, means we agree, at the moment we cannot agree with we do not want to do things haphazardly but orderly. what Honourable Member is proposing. It is not the only thing which is going to be affected by the Decentralisation Policy, it is going to affect many On the second question on whether we should stop ministries. So Government must have a proper and clear the transfer; if I understood correctly, the Honourable policy in place which will guide us when making these Member is saying, since there are regulations which kinds of decisions. Thank you Mr Speaker. apply to non-citizens when they want to make transfer or they are allowed to make them through the Minister’s MR RAMOGAPI: Supplementary. Mr Speaker, I

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also had a similar question to the one that Honourable MR T. LETSHOLO (KANYE NORTH): asked the Mmolotsi asked and from what the Minister is saying, he Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security is not giving clear answers. So let us protect Batswana why he cannot enable access of necessary technology Honourable Speaker. I said he is not giving clear to merchandise small-scale farming by Batswana more answers because he mentioned that there is no policy particularly: to guide us in terms of decentralising the clinic. When Honourable Mmolotsi made a follow-up, he said that (i) why Government cannot subsidise access to they are actually assessing a policy. That is, he agrees handheld planters that can be used in small fields with Honourable Mmolotsi on the basis that assessment of less than five hectares; and is ongoing, but they are waiting for a strategic policy. So Mr Speaker, kindly protect us from that thing. (ii) what would be the positive benefits and outcomes of using handheld planters versus broadcasting. My second question is, does the Minister know or is he aware that we have been experiencing serious ASSISTANT MINISTER OF AGRICULTURAL shortage of medication in hospitals ever since clinics DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY (MS were decentralised to Central Government? We also MANAKE): Mr Speaker, Government does not have a experience shortage of staff. On top of that Mr Speaker, plan to subsidise mechanisation like planters or tractors. there is yet a new issue where nurses are assaulted or What the Government is doing is that, she permits strangled because there is not proper management in farmers to use mechanisation without paying tax so that it does not become a burden to them. Central Government. At Palapye we already have cases where nurses were strangled while about five of them Another thing Mr Speaker, Government encourages were stabbed with a knife Mr Speaker. So Minister, are farmers to mostly use machinery like ploughs and you aware of these things? We are bringing these things handheld planters or smaller ones so that they may be to your attention so that you may address them. able to plant as well as increase their harvest and so on.

Lastly Minister, are you aware of misplacement of Like I mentioned, we believe as the Ministry of nurses? I am referring to trained nurses who are also Agriculture that the mechanisation that Honourable trained in Community Health which is related to Letsholo is talking about, will assist us in terms of community service done at the council. So he should increasing our harvest since they will be planting in tell us whether he is aware of this misplacement so that rows. This method is going to ensure that our crops are it can be addressed. Thank you Mr Speaker. protected through weeding and fertilisation and so on. MR MTHIMKHULU: I hear you Honourable So we cannot say it is similar to broadcasting because it Ramogapi. The thing is, most of the things that you is quite difficult to protect them when it comes to crop are asking today were not covered in your question. In management. Thank you Mr Speaker. that manner, I will have to go and find out so that I can MR LETSHOLO: Supplementary. Thank you Mr provide you with clear answers. I can only say, if people Speaker. I explained Minister that we do not have are assaulting nurses, then it is an offence where relevant that plan but we understand. The question was asking ministries will take appropriate measures against the whether Government cannot subsidise mechanisation culprits. There is no one who would want officers to be so that farmers can be able to use the row planting assaulted when they are on duty. So stiff measures will method. I especially asked this question because I know be taken to ensure that such kind of situations are not that Honourable Manake’s ministry was not pleased repeated. by the decision that was made by Parliament to allow I have mentioned Honourable Ramogapi that I do not farmers to use the broadcasting method. Right now, they have answers to some of your questions such as, issues are mostly supporting the method where farmers use of shortage of medication. Therefore, I will have to go row planting. In that manner, I want to understand what and investigate, maybe the Minister of Health is better hinders them from assisting farmers to plant in rows and placed to give better answers since those issues are when they can start doing that? Thank you. under his ministry. Thank you Mr Speaker. MS MANAKE: Thank you Mr Speaker. As you are TECHNOLOGY TO MERCHANDISE already aware Honourable Letsholo, we are in the BATSWANA SMALL-SCALE FARMERS process of reviewing ISPAAD in other words, we are

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transforming it. The questions you are asking today Security to update this Honourable House on the are some of the gaps which we will review to see how number of women murdered by men in the last five (5) we can close them. We have commercial farmers and years and to state: subsistence farmers who plough for domestic purposes then we have small holders who are just starting up (i) the number of cases where suspects were and emerging all the way to commercial. So the new arrested, prosecuted and resulted in convictions or ISPAAD is going to clearly define them based on output. acquittals; If according to the new ISPAAD programme it allows the farmer to broadcast to benefit from the soil moisture (ii) the number of cases in which suspects were we can implement your suggestion to subsidise price of sentenced to jail terms, death and non-custodial the output and not subsidise input. These are some of sentences; the things we are reviewing and implementing. So my advice to you is that, you should wait for us to consult (iii) the extent of recidivism in respect of the said you with this programme because there is going to be accused persons or convicts; and consultation, you will have the opportunity to present your suggestions. Thank you Mr Speaker. (iv) how this number compares to men killed by women during the same period and what Government is MR SPEAKER: Honourable Reatile. doing to address this scourge.

MR REATILE: Thank you and good afternoon. Later Date. Question number 7. MR SPEAKER: Honourable Minister of Health and DRAFTING OF BIOTECHNOLOGY BILL Wellness. DR K. GOBOTSWANG (SEFHARE- HONOURABLE MEMBER: …(Inaudible)… RAMOKGONAMI): asked the Minister of MR SPEAKER: He is not present again. Is he on strike? Agricultural Development and Food Security to update this Honourable House on the drafting of The HONOURABLE MEMBER: Where did he run off to? Biotechnology Bill and state when it will be presented to Parliament. MR SPEAKER: I do not know. He has been identifying himself here as Lelatisitswe. He raised his hand, I do not ASSISTANT MINISTER OF AGRICULTURAL know what for. Honourable Lelatisitswe! DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY (MS MANAKE): Thank you Mr Speaker… HONOURABLE MEMBER: He went to take an injection. HONOURABLE MEMBER: Hello Mr Speaker!

MR SPEAKER: Why is he raising his hand then? MS MANAKE: Honourable Lelatisitswe let me finish Honourable Lelatisitswe! first, you will get your chance sir. Can I continue Mr Speaker? HONOURABLE MEMBER: Lelatisitswe is trying to respond. MR SPEAKER: Yes Honourable.

MR SPEAKER: Honourable Lelatisitswe, unmute MS MANAKE: Okay sir, thank you. Mr Speaker, to yourself. Unmute yourself! respond to Honourable Gobotswang’s question, he has already asked it twice changing words as an attempt HONOURABLE MEMBER: The technical team is to complicate the question for us. Nonetheless Mr trying to assist him. Speaker let me explain that, I already indicated that the ministry has started the process of drafting the Biosafety MR SPEAKER: Let us pass. Bill which will include Biotechnology. However, all necessary stages required for drafting Bills have been MR KEORAPETSE: The Minister requests to answer completed which is stakeholder consultation and the it on Thursday; that is when he will be ready. drafting. Currently, we are preparing the Bill to be circulated or go through all the usual processes up MURDER CASES IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS until it reaches Parliament. We anticipate that it will be MR D. L. KEORAPETSE (SELEBI PHIKWE presented in Parliament during the winter session Mr WEST): asked the Minister of Defence, Justice and Speaker. Thank you.

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DR GOBOTSWANG: I am covered Mr Speaker. We have officials from the Ministry of Health and Wellness who are part of the COVID Task Force Team. TRANSFERRING THE COVID-19 TASKFORCE One of them is the Director of Health Services, they are MR W. B. MMOLOTSI (FRANCISTOWN working together so there is no gap you are portraying. SOUTH): asked the Minister for Presidential Affairs, As for procurement, as far as we are concerned, Governance and Public Administration why the what we know is that, all procurement processes are COVID-19 Taskforce was transferred from Ministry of followed. Even if there is procurement of COVID-19 Health and Wellness to Ministry for Presidential Affairs, related medical equipment or stuff, the COVID-19 Governance and Public Administration. Team is transferred here because that is where most of the decisions regarding COVID-19 procurement and ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR PRESIDENTIAL everything to do with COVID-19 are taken. So it is AFFAIRS, GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC easier for them to deal with those issues of procurement ADMINISTRATION (MR MTHIMKHULU): Thank for COVID-19 unlike if they take decisions and now have to go and consult procurement at another ministry, you Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, the very first appointment where there is no Task Force. That is why we transferred of the COVID-19 Task Force Coordination Team placed the Task Force here so that it can be seamless, they them under the Office of the President with secondment should do everything under the same ministry where to the Ministry of Health and Wellness. The mandate decisions are taken by the COVID-19 Task Force Team. for the team as articulated in the appointment letters Thank you Mr Speaker. was clear that they are key advisers to the President. As a result, the said advisers were later relocated to UPGRADING HUKUNTSI CLINIC, LEHUTUTU the Office of the President but still expected to work AND HUNHUKWE HEALTH POSTS with the Ministry of Health and Wellness on COVID-19 issues. MS T. MONNAKGOTLA (KGALAGADI NORTH): asked the Minister of Health and Wellness if he is aware The function that was initially directly under the Ministry that: of Health and Wellness is that of procurement. This was transferred to OP early last year so that it could be closer (i) Hukuntsi Clinic is made of asbestos which is to and be harmonised with the day to day activities of a known health hazard and it services a large the COVID-19 Coordination Team. community; (ii) Hunhukwe is a service centre for three (3) other Mr Speaker, as you may be aware, disaster preparedness settlements (Maake, Monong and Ncaang) but is is under OP and it is in order that COVID-19 which is a very small unit; an emergency be coordinated from the same office. This is simply because COVID-19 activities cut across all (iii) Lehututu village has a large population but is sectors of the economy. I thank you Mr Speaker. serviced by a small health post; and if so, (iv) when he intends to upgrade the Hukuntsi Clinic, MR MMOLOTSI: Supplementary. Thank you Mr Lehututu and Hunhukwe Health Posts. Speaker. Minister do you not realise that transferring this Task Force from the Ministry of Health and Wellness ASSISTANT MINISTER OF HEALTH AND created a gap in information between the Ministry of WELLNESS (MR LELATISITSWE): Thank you so Health and Wellness and this Task Team? much Mr Speaker. I hope I am now audible. Mr Speaker, am I audible? Also explain that whether you do not suspect that the corruption which is now prevailing in the COVID-19 MR SPEAKER: Yes sir. funds is caused by the transfer; one minute they are at the Ministry of Health and Wellness but the majority of MR LELATISITSWE: Pardon! the time they are at OP which means there is a gap in MR SPEAKER: Yes sir. accountability? MR LELATISITSWE: MR MTHIMKHULU: Thank you Mr Speaker. Let me start by saying, there is no gap between the COVID (i) Mr Speaker, question number 4 by Honourable Task Force Team and Ministry of Health and Wellness. Monnakgotla, let me indicate that we are aware

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that a part of our clinic at Hukuntsi is made of an answer as to when we are going to get funds. That is asbestos and we are aware of the health hazard. where I will stop. Let me inform this House that we are removing that asbestos in the near future, this next financial Let me point out Mr Speaker that, I agree that where year. Mr Speaker, let me indicate that we have a people crowd… (Inaudible)… Corona may spread. hospital at Hukuntsi. Population of Hukuntsi is It is our hope that all of us as leaders, we will keep only 4600 according to the last census so there is a encouraging people to avoid crowding at clinics because hospital people of Ghanzi can access. the economy has collapsed and it will not allow us to build facilities at the moment. Like I have said that we (ii) Mr Speaker, let me indicate that Hunhukwe is have a hospital at Lehututu and Hukuntsi, which we not a service centre but a health post just like the believe in the meantime it can service our people there one at Manong and Ncaang. The service centre of Mr Speaker. Thank you. Hunhukwe cluster is Hukuntsi clinic. TOBACCO LEVY Part three of the question points out that when the MR M. REATILE (JWANENG-MABUTSANE): population census was conducted in 2011, Lehututu asked the Minister of Health and Wellness: Village had 1,956 people. We agree that Lehututu Village is growing, and if we can secure funds, we will (i) when the levy on tobacco was introduced and try to upscale or upgrade the clinic and turn it into a why; hospital. (ii) how much money has been collected from The last one Mr Speaker, part five, Hukuntsi Clinic and inception to date; Lehututu Clinic should have been upgraded to be a clinic (iii) who the intended beneficiaries of the funds are; without maternity in NDP 11. Hunhukwe Health Post and was supposed to be upgraded to a clinic with maternity in NDP 11. Let me point out Mr Speaker that in the (iv) what impact the levy has made on those the levy Mid-Term Review which was approved by Parliament, was intended to benefit. all the projects were not included. So that means that we will keep on reviewing them going forward in this ASSISTANT MINISTER OF HEALTH AND financial year Mr Speaker. Thank you. WELLNESS (MR LELATISITSWE): Thank you so much Mr Speaker. Question seven is a very good MS MONNAKGOTLA: Thank you Mr Speaker and question, I received the answer from the officials, but I thank you Minister. I would like to know from the was not satisfied with it. I spoke to Honourable Member Minister when he anticipates these clinics of Hukuntsi Reatile that I am still clearing my doubts first before I and Hunhukwe to be upgraded? bring it to this House. thank you and I request a later date. Minister, at the moment we are dealing with COVID-19, Lehututu Clinic is already so small for the people to an MR SPEAKER: …(Inaudible)… Honourable Reatile. extent that, not so long it was one of the clinics where there were a lot of positive cases of COVID-19, and …Silence… even deaths. So what I would like to ask is that, since MR SPEAKER: I think it is... (Inaudible)… if the there is COVID, do you not think that the fact that Minister is not satisfied. people overcrowd at Hukuntsi Clinic ... (Inaudible)… services to the people? Thank you Minister. Later Date.

MR LELATISITSWE: Thank you so much Mr LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION (MR Speaker. To answer the first question by Member of SALESHANDO): On a point of procedure. You will Parliament let me point out that, I do not have a date recall that last week Minister Rakgare undertook to that I can say the clinic will be upgraded. You know how substantiate his statement on allegations that some much Corona has affected the country. I believe that as Members of Parliament (MPs) conduct businesses, that the situation keeps improving, that is when we will be they operate through third parties, so that their identities able to know when it will be upgraded. I do not have are not exposed. He was given until Thursday last week

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and I am sure he should by now be more than ready MR SPEAKER: Honourable Rakgare, I think you have to provide those names of MPs in this House who a problem. You are complicating it by trying to implicate undertake such activities. somebody from the leadership of the opposition, but you understood my ruling that time, that we cannot MR SPEAKER: Indeed I ruled that, the Minister was allow ourselves to go that route. Today is Tuesday, asking for a time and he is around. Honourable Minister let the records show that if by Thursday you have no Rakgare. information, then I will make a ruling on this matter on the basis of what is before Parliament. We cannot have a MINISTER OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, century on such matters ... (Inaudible)…I am no longer SPORT AND CULTURE DEVELOPMENT (MR listening to anything. RAKGARE): Thank you very much. Mr Speaker I am very sorry, I have not managed to gather all the things MR KABLAY: On a point of procedure. Thank I said I will… or wished to gather to put before this you Mr Speaker. Let me also say, Mr Speaker, Parliament. The person who was assisting me to gather Honourable Rakgare should know that he is dealing that information has asked for more time. I do not know with the Opposition, there is nowhere in the history if it may be risky to disclose the name of that individual, of politics where the Opposition and the ruling party because on Friday Mr Speaker you pointed out that if have agreed on anything. Honourable Rakgare should Honourable Yandani Boko indicated that there are some know that, that someone who says will provide him members of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) whom with that information, what if he gives information he spoke to, who indicated that his Motion was going to that incriminates members of Domkrag (Botswana be disapproved. Democratic Party) and then he says they are the ones who gave him that information… can you trust what HONOURABLE MEMBER: You do not know what this man will be telling you? You should be very careful you are saying man! when you deal with the opposition Honourable Rakgare, because he will end up using the party… (Inaudible)… MR RAKGARE: Maybe what I can point out is that… HONOURABLE MEMBERS: ... (Interruptions!)... HONOURABLE MEMBER: What are you talking about now? MR SPEAKER: Order! Order! Honourable Members… (Inaudible)…two, the problem is Honourable Rakgare’s, MR RAKGARE: …this statement Mr Speaker was if you trust anybody under this sun that is his problem. from someone from the Opposition, who... (Inaudible)…. ASSEMBLY IN COMMITTEE HONOURABLE MEMBER: What are you talking about? (CHAIRPERSON in the Chair) HONOURABLE MEMBER: … (Interruptions!)… APPROPRIATION (2021/2022) BILL, MR RAKGARE: Can I continue Mr Speaker without 2021 (NO. 2 OF 2021) being interrupted? ORGANISATION 0800 – MINISTRY OF MR SPEAKER: You are the only one on the floor. I do LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL not know what the other Members are speaking about. DEVELOPMENT

MR RAKGARE: Yes Honourable Speaker, thank you (Resumed Debate) very Mr Speaker. So like I was saying, there is someone MR CHAIRPERSON (MR SKELEMANI): Order! from the Opposition who indicated that there are some Order! When the House adjourned for lunch, Honourable people he knows who are doing that, who establish Minister Molale was on the floor replying to the debate businesses by fronting with other people’s businesses. and he is left with 24 minutes 45 seconds. So I do not believe that it will be okay for me to disclose their name. They have requested me to give them more MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND time to prepare themselves and when they are ready, RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MR MOLALE): I thank they will notify me and I will come to Parliament and you Mr Chairperson. Before I forget, let me say as a way tell who those people are. Thank you Mr Speaker. of augmenting the use of Ipelegeng funds and those from

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the Constituency Projects, I have asked Honourable MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Minister, Mmusi Kgafela and Honourable Dikoloti to assist us Honourable Tshere and Honourable Greeff are asking with the plans of expanding the health posts and clinics, for clarification. as well as Tribal offices, so that when these two projects MR MOLALE: I will consider them; I am still a bit far. are done with these two funds, the Village Development I will consider them later Mr Chairperson. These are the Committees (VDCs) would have those plans because things we have to look into and amend. I did not hide artisans who know how to interpret uncomplicated behind the Constitutional review. I am on process and plans are going to be employed. This would be a way I am very confident that we will manage as quickly as of ensuring that things that could be done at the district possible. You talked about Rural Industries Programme level do not pile up at the ministry. I have mentioned (RIP). It is indeed true that I had a chat with Honourable that we will be monitoring and evaluation whether the Lucas that there are some votes whose funds go straight funds are being utilised and whether there is support to the sub-districts. I can assure him that I have requested for the councils to have those plans and so forth. When my advisors to inform me why the rest of the remaining we parted Mr Chairperson, when we go to Paragraph votes do not go directly just like other votes. I cannot 38 to 40, I mentioned the timeliness that we have put just do that without ascertaining that they are following if COVID will allow our processes of bringing the procedure. That is what we are addressing. That is what Decentralisation Policy in Parliament. A clear timeline I assured a Parliamentary Committee overseeing my is that, since I am still going around councils, by the ministry. These are things I assured them even last time. June Parliament we will debate this policy. We cannot address it in the peripheries or skip other processes When you go to Paragraph 20, I have expressed my wish because decentralisation is not just about creating sub- that the Rural Industries Programme could be brought districts; there are several things which we need to back to answer the issue which Honourable Lucas address holistically. Secondly, in this speech I said Part mentioned that, that programme could assist to improve 1 is for the Decentralisation Policy. It has to be done as the industries in the various districts. I am not saying it expeditiously because it has fruitful result. There is Part is going to happen, I am saying it is my desire because 2 which is a bit complicated because it involves laws the Minister responsible is there elsewhere, the one who and so forth as Honourable Lucas was talking about the could review it. It is the same as the issue of clinics decentralisation of Bogosi. Now we will be going to the that was mentioned by Honourable Mmolotsi. I have Bogosi Act and Tribal Territories Act. That is the Part 2 not assured this House that clinics were going back to which I talked about but the not so distant one like he Local Government. I said procedurally and the way we was saying, we have already talked about; those that are are seeing things being done in other countries, it is my already underway. The third is that we have to know wish that clinics could go back to Local Government. that this process evolved over time. That is why right at I can still say that, and then we can go back and look the beginning, districts were declared sub-districts. It for the Hansard. I have not said that as a promise to also stated that before it was considered that there could Parliament. I am a Member of Parliament (MP) and I be declaration of full districts, there was provision for am entitled to my views and wishes when debating in minimal infrastructure. That is why every sub-district Parliament. now has a Rural Administration Centre (RAC). It was a HONOURABLE MEMBER: So where did he get that lengthy process that required funds. So that is what we statement from? mean when we said, where it is possible, in these new districts, there should be an area where people operate MR MOLALE: Ask him. The other thing, the BDP from, although it might not be enough. This is a process, Government Mr Chairperson, does not give assistance promises were not just made without doing nothing. that can be deemed to be undermining and inhuman. It tries its best to make maximum use of funds all the time, The fourth thing in the issue of decentralisation is which might not be enough. So to say, the assistance that I have not mentioned the Constitution anywhere rendered is almost inhuman, I think it is trying to in the issue of decentralisation. I do not know what downplay the efforts made by the BDP (Domkrag) people mean when they say I am hiding behind the Government and looking down on those people who Constitutional review; because we are saying we want are recipients of this assistance. What I can ascertain to implement Part 1 and amending certain laws. is that, those who are receiving the help, although it

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is not enough; they agree that the assistance does take that in Ghanzi, the Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) them from one level to another. Half a loaf is better than sponsored dairy company had to close down because all nothing. Therefore, I am condemning that statement the milk tenders were given to a briefcase vendor who which says the assistance given is disrespectful. was selling Ultra Mel. These things are unacceptable, but we all have to open our eyes, so that we ring the I want to address the issue of corruption. I agree, bell much earlier before it gets too late. So those are especially when it comes to issues of procurement. I the issues. I agree with Honourable Lucas that we must was addressing a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee plough back the money into our rural areas, and that is last week Wednesday regarding this issue. My request is where the starting point is. There is money, P864 million that, all of us as Members of Parliament should address plus Honourable Molao’s funds which I think amounts this matter because all our constituencies are affected. close to P300 million, hospitals another P200 million, We are talking about tenders where in my constituency, that is more than a billion that we have access to, to start there is a state of the art bakery in Goodhope, but they small industries. are not even given a single tender to supply bread. All tenders for the five secondary schools are from Lobatse. Moving on Mr Chairperson, Honourable Monnakgotla Something is not right here, and the Tender Committee also raised some points. is under the District Commissioner in Goodhope. These are things which all of us should address and stop them HONOURABLE MEMBER: Elucidation Mr because the Government has said we will empower Chairperson. citizens locally, and ensure that Small, Medium and MR MOLALE: I laughed during lunch time when I Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) should not be required to was watching the news, the Hukuntsi hostel which she provide licences, company’s registration and income tax said was in a bad condition...(Interruptions)... returns, but it is still happening. MR CHAIRPERSON: ...(Inaudible)... The other thing is that, sometimes when they are fortunate enough to win these tenders, these small business MR MOLALE: What? I cannot hear anything. owners, after supplying, it takes six, seven, eight, nine months without processing their payments even though MR CHAIRPERSON: No, he was asking for a point it would not be an issue of monetary constraints, funds of elucidation. would be available. That is why I am saying, we should MR MOLALE: Let me yield for Honourable Greeff all stand up and address this, the blame cannot be that first, followed by Honourable Thiite, there was another the ministry is corrupt. Yes, maybe by implication, but one from Honourable Tshere, be fast please. all these things take place at the local level. You heard me repeating the figure for food purchase of school HONOURABLE MEMBER: Mr Chairperson is the feeding, which is P864 million for each constituency, one who is in charge, not you. with the 750 primary schools that we have around the country, and probably 38 senior secondary schools, and MR MOLALE: The time is mine. 200 and something junior secondary schools, there is MR GREEFF: Clarification. Honourable Molale, I a lot of money that can be spent in our constituencies, want to start by thanking you for remembering us at to boost small industries. The ball is in our court, all of Phase 4 by constructing a primary school for us. us to make sure that we ensure this facilitation so that funds can be planted back into the constituency. The second thing that I want you to realise Honourable Molale is that, Gaborone City Council alone is failing, it There are farmers in these constituencies, and they are is overwhelmed, because there are many constituencies being supported through Integrated Support Programme and wards in Gaborone. Do you not see that it is time to for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD). The divide Gaborone into two administrative authorities so Government has facilitated that their produce be bought that the burden in Gaborone is divided? for schools. Somewhere the cycle gets broken, and we seem to look for somebody else to come up with the Thirdly, because we are the capital city of Botswana, solution, and yet we are the solution ourselves. I am do you not think it is high time you asked Minister pleading with all of us to look into these things. You will Matsheka to give us a special budget for storm water remember Honourable Thiite and Honourable Motsamai drainage system? Every time when it rains in Gaborone,

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there are overflows. I plead that you should meet with issue in which you stated that a briefcase tenderer Minister Matsheka, and request for a special budget for managed to take a project while the other one collapsed. Gaborone, because this is a difficult issue. Honourable Minister, that is one issue that we have to address because in rural areas, people have a challenge The fourth issue is in relation to roads Honourable Molale. whereby they would hear that a tender has been won to When I cite my Constituency Gaborone Bonnington supply 12 schools in Ghanzi District, and it would be South, all those roads were long constructed in 1986, won by a company from Gaborone. What are we saying they have 35 years. When you look at their lifespan, about young people who are in these rural areas? Clarify they are already old, they have potholes so maybe it it widely Honourable Minister. I thank you. is high time you meet with Honourable Segokgo and request for funds from the road levy so that maintenance MR MOLALE: Thank you. Mr Chairperson, this of roads can be carried out. means that other Honourable Members will never get a chance to seek for clarification because when you try to The last issue is about corruption, street lights be nice, people take all the time. Honourable Molale... Yes, Honourable Thiite, Minister Matsheka and I agree MR MOLALE: You are compelling me to deny others and we are reviewing both Acts. Even though we points of elucidation. agree, there are two tender committees at the district, MR GREEFF: I am concluding. All the street lights and they are presided over by very senior people who in Gaborone are not working sir, but since 2015 up to are the first recipients of every Government decision date, Gaborone City Council awarded a tender to one through Presidential Directives, to give instructions company to connect street lights in Gaborone. They but still nothing is happening. So the thing that remains have already utilised funds amounting to P52 million, is accountability, that why did you give a briefcase so you also have to address that issue sir, Gaborone city entrepreneur who went on to take imported products, is always dark. I thank you. even though we have locally produced goods? People must be held accountable for that. MR TSHERE: Clarification. Thank you very much Honourable Chairperson. Mine is very short Honourable Honourable Greeff, the reason I am going around the Minister. You are aware that at Mahalapye village we country consulting councils is to look for such ideas, are intending to work with you in order to develop so that at the end when we turn some sub-districts into Mahalapye village, but we have grievances because districts, there are others within those new supposed in 2020/2021, we were not allocated Constituency districts, sub-district would still be required. That is, Community Projects (CCP) funds and even in decentralise and decentralise further. Two administrative 2021/2022, we do not know if we will have it or not. authorities within Gaborone are not wrong, we will hear This situation worries us so confirm it. Even on the about it when I visit you Council. budget, I did not come across any point where these CCP funds were stated and if we will also receive funds Yes, a capital city might need a special budget, but which are still pending. Please confirm to Batswana if I would not go there before the capital city starts this is going to happen. Thank you. collecting revenue. Game City, Commerce Park, Riverwalk, Airport Junction and all these malls all over, MR THIITE: Clarification. Thank you Mr Chairperson, rates are not being paid because we are paying Revenue thank you Honourable Minister. Honourable Minister, I Support Grant (RSG). That is why in this budget, I have heard you repeatedly stating that there are over a billion requested for funds and Dr Matsheka allocated me to pulas which are going to rural areas. One thing that we disburse to this council. It is going to do a valuation, have observed at rural areas is that, the procurement so that after that we stop RSG. If anything, we will do processes excludes people who are economically a matching grant if possible because the funds that you disadvantaged at rural areas. Firstly Honourable want for roads to be resealed are available at Game City Minister, I would like you to liaise with the ministry of and all these other malls. There is a lot of money. That is Finance and Economic Development since they are the what we are going to do. ones who manage procurement, an explain what you are doing to reserve certain projects, especially maybe… Moving on Mr Chairperson, I cannot see how much time (Inaudible)… as you talked about the dairy project I have left. Honourable Monnakgotla, I think we spoke

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but as I was saying, most of the projects that you are talking about, with Ipelegeng, constituency projects, Remote Area Development Programme (RADP) which we have requested funds for, a lot can be done. The problem of all these is implementation which is misguided by poor procurement processes. That is why I repeat, we are amending Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) and Local Procurement and Asset Disposal (LAPAD) Acts so as to employ stern measures because there is a lot of leakage. I do not know where Dr Matsheka got this 37 per cent, my belief is that it is more than 37 per cent, these leakages. It is not like we are boasting about this wastage, the fact is, we are acting on it to make sure that these funds will no longer be wasted and there must be accountability. I know that some when I say this, they think about what the likes of Honourable Mmolotsi say, that I do not like civil servants. When a civil servant is employed, one of the key factors of performance is being accountable. They cannot seek additional things when they are not accountable, that is a fact of life. Deputy Speaker, I am happy when you raise the issue of training of extension officers. You may be aware that we started an in-service course at University of Botswana called Botswana Extension Service Training Programme. People like Honourable Lucas, are the ones who can tell you what the problem was. When our extension officers come back, they now become power brokers, they are no more extension officers. That is why I am saying, we are now going to take that to Botswana Public Service College. The other thing is, social workers in the ministries are many. I think one of the best fit for purpose efforts that we are doing is, social workers should go back to Local Government. At the local level, we take them and increase their number, being supervised, there is a line of authority in villages to attend schools, clinics, villagers and everybody who need social work and counselling. Not where we place one at the hospital, another at secondary school and so on, that is splitting hairs and it is costing us a lot.

Honourable Motsamai, I want to remind you that where I am, I am not sleeping. That is why even at Bere, you stated that you can see that I am busy working at Local Government. I am wondering why now you are saying I am sleeping. However, I noted your points. I want to remind you that decentralisation is one of the key components of BDP Government. If you go back and read the Rural Development Policy Draft which was drafted by Robert Chambers in 1972, you will find that the Government talked about decentralisation. The directive of 69 which was setting structures of Village Development Committee (VDC) and others talked about decentralisation. So Pamphlet No. 1, I do not know what you are talking about sir.

Mr Chairperson, like we said, we will compile answers and submit them because we have run out of time. Honourable Reatile, tell the residents of Mabutsane that I love them maybe even more than they know. They have not done anything to me and we will definitely go to the Kgotla together and tell them that I hate none of them. If there are no funds, there is nothing that can be done Morolong, we will try to see what we can do.

Mr Chairperson, in conclusion, I therefore, move that the 2021/22 Recurrent Budget in the sum of Seven Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-Seven Million, One Hundred and Fifty-Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy Pula (P7,137,157,770.00) be approved and stand part of the Schedule of the Appropriation (2021/22) Bill 2021 for Head 0800 and that the Development Budget in the sum of One Billion, Four Hundred and Fifty-Three Million, Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety-Eight Pula (P1,453,009,298.00) be approved and stand part of those Estimates. I so move Mr Chairperson.

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Members, now we are going to a roll call for voting. May I remind you again to switch on your video, just in case you have trouble, we then can see you and try to help.

CLERK:

MEMBER’S NAME AYE NO ABSTAIN ABSENT His Excellency Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi Honourable Kgotla Kenneth Autlwetse Honourable Mpho Balopi √ Honourable Yandani Boko

31 Hansard No 201 Tuesday 9th March, 2021 ORGANISATION 0800-MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT Committee of Supply (Resumed Debate)

Honourable Justice Brooks √ Honourable Honest Buti Billy √ Honourable Dr Edwin Gorataone Dikoloti √ Honourable Unity Dow √ Honourable Karabo Socraat Gare √ Honourable Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang √ Honourable Christian Greeff √ Honourable Kainangura Caterpillar Hikuama √ Honourable Liakat Kablay

Honourable Kenny Kapinga √ Honourable Goretetse Kekgonegile √ Honourable Dithapelo Lefoko Keorapetse √ Honourable Philda Kereng √ Honourable Mmusi Kgafela √ Honourable Tshekedi Stanford Khama √ Honourable Dr Lemogang Kwape √ Honourable Leepetswe Lesedi √ Honourable Sethomo Lelatisitswe √ Honourable Aubrey Lesaso √ Honourable Dr Douglas Letsholathebe √ Honourable Thapelo Letsholo √ Honourable Friction Tshoganetso Leuwe √ Honourable Taolo Boipuso Lucas √ Honourable Polson Majaga √ Honourable Nnaniki Wilhemina Tebogo Makwinja Honourable Beauty Manake √ Honourable Tumisang Mangwegape-Healy √ Honourable Baratiwa Mathoothe √ Honourable Dr Thapelo Matsheka √ Honourable Wynter Boipuso Mmolotsi √ Honourable Kagiso Thomas Mmusi √ Honourable Simon Nkosana Moabi √ Honourable Lefoko Maxwell Moagi Honourable Pono Pearson Parson Moatlhodi √ Honourable Setlhabelo Nasser Modukanele √ Honourable Anna Maria Mokgethi √ Honourable Eric Mothibi Molale √ Honourable Fidelis Mcdonald Molao √ Honourable Molebatsi Shimane Molebatsi √ Honourable Talita Monnakgotla √ Honourable Kabo Neal Sechele Morwaeng √ Honourable Mokwaledi Ignatius Moswaane √

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Honourable Palelo Keitseope Motaosane √ Honourable Motsamai Gabantema Jelson Motsamai √ Honourable Dumezweni Meshack Mthimkhulu √ Honourable Kefentse Mzwinila √ Honourable Kgoberego Nkawana √ Honourable Tumiso Macdonald Rakgare √ Honourable Onneetse Ramogapi √ Honourable Mephato Reatile √ Honourable Oabile Regoeng √ Honourable Dumelang Saleshando √ Honourable Thulaganyo Merafhe Segokgo √ Honourable Peggy Serame √ Honourable Machana Ronald Shamukuni √ Honourable Johane Thiite √ Honourable Dr Never Tshabang √ Honourable David Tshere √ Honourable Slumber Tsogwane √

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Kablay, can you unmute yourself.

...Silence…

HONOURABLE MEMBER: Oh, it failed.

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Kablay, can you raise your hand for “Aye”?

Thank you. Results for the voting;

Ayes - 48

Abstain - 1

Absent - 15

The Noes - Zero

So the ‘Ayes’ have it, the ‘Ayes’ have it.

Question put and agreed to. ORGANISATION 0500 - MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Members, please note that 2 hours 45 minutes have been allocated to this Organisation. I shall call upon the Honourable Minister to respond to the debate at 1720 hours today, and the question will be put at 1750 hours today. I now call upon the Honourable Minister for Agricultural Development and Food Security to present please.

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY (MR GARE): Mr Chairperson, I have the honour to present to this Honourable House, the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security’s Recurrent and Development Budget proposals for the financial year 2021/2022 under Organisation 0500.

My presentation starts by highlighting the budget performance for the financial year 2020/2021. The sectoral

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performance will follow with highlights on the The COVID-19 pandemic also affected arable farming Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan (ERTP). activities in a number of ways.

2020/2021 BUDGET PERFORMANCE As of 31st January 2021, a total of 4365 hectares had been planted by 658 farmers compared to 10 244 The ministry’s approved Budget for the financial hectares planted by 536 farmers in the previous season year 2020/2021 was Two Billion, Two Hundred and (2019/2020) during the same period. The low hectarage Forty-Six Million, One Hundred and Six Thousand, planted is attributed to continuous rainfall in the central Two Hundred and Thirty Pula (P2 246 106 230). In and northern parts of the country, and some isolated September 2020, a Supplementary Budget was approved cases of dry spell in the southern part of the country. through Financial Paper Number 1 of 2020/2021, which resulted in an increase in the ministry’s total budget to For the 2019/2020 cropping season, the total crop Two Billion, Five Hundred and Seventy-Seven Million, production recorded was 275 619 tonnes, of which Seven Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand, One Hundred cereals amounted to 158 118 tonnes, representing 52.7 and Seventy Pula (P2 577 759 170), comprising of per cent of the national cereal demand of 300,000 One Billion, Four Hundred and Forty Million, Four tonnes. Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy Pula (P1,440,459,170) Recurrent Budget, and Horticultural Production has shown significant growth One Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-Seven Million, in 2020 reflecting an increase in the area planted and Three Hundred Thousand Pula (P1, 137, 300, 000) farmer participation. From April 2020, horticultural Development Budget. The major components of the production stood at 57 168 tons (vegetables were 54 012 budget are Integrated Support Programme for Arable tons and fruits were 3 156 tons). This was from a total Agriculture Development (ISPAAD), Livestock area of 2 151 hectares (ha). This production accounts Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID), for 66 per cent of the ministry’s annual target of 85 Livestock Drought Subsidy, personnel emoluments 860 tonnes. This production represents 51 per cent of for ministry staff, parastatals subvention, and other the annual national horticulture requirement of 112 000 operating expenses for the various departments in the metric tonnes (mt). ministry. The ministry’s actual recurrent expenditure To continue increasing production to meet the national as at 28 February 2021 was at One Billion, Three demand and to mitigate the effects of climate change, my Hundred and Sixty Million, Three Hundred and Sixteen ministry introduced the Horticulture Impact Accelerator Thousand, and Fifty-One Pula (P1,360,316, 051), which Subsidy (IAS). The aim of this facility is to intensify is 94 per cent of the warranted provision for the year, horticultural production under protected cultivation, and the Development Budget expenditure was at Eight the effect of which will be enhanced vegetable quality, Hundred and Sixty-Three Million, Seven Hundred and value addition and reduction of crop losses. Forty-One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Five Pula, Forty-Two Thebe (P863 741 985. 42) which is 78 LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION per cent of the warranted provision. Table 1 and Table 2 below should summarise levels of expenditure for the Mr Chairperson, livestock production is faced with Recurrent and Development Budgets, respectively. numerous challenges. These include but not limited to drought, pests and diseases, predation, stock theft SECTORAL REVIEW and of late effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges contribute to low livestock productivity. CROP PRODUCTION However, some sub-sectors such as poultry (meat and eggs), piggery and apiculture have recorded some Mr Chairperson, the 2019/2020 cropping season was growth this year as compared to the previous year. generally characterised by good rains, especially in the southern and south-eastern parts of the country. Mr Chairperson, poultry meat and egg production Crops performed fairly well with isolated cases of crop increased from 35 443 tonnes to 38 407 tonnes, and 11 failure. The North East, Bobirwa and the northern parts 204 928 dozen to 11 265 780 dozen in 2019/2020 and of the Central District received marginal rainfall. The 2020/2021, respectively. This increase is attributed to an season also had outbreaks of pests such as locust and increase in poultry projects as a result of subsidised feed fall army worm, which negatively affected crop yields. prices under the 35 per cent subsidy. The COVID-19

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Food Basket programme also provided a market for Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development the produce during lockdowns which stimulated local (LIMID) and special Integrated Support Programme production. for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) enable farmers to provide and care for their livestock with Mr Chairperson, my ministry continues to facilitate water, adequate animal husbandry and fodder support. small scale poultry producers to participate in the poultry industry which is mainly dominated by large During the financial year 2019/2020, a total of 4 396 scale producers. The industry has grown into a vertically projects were implemented at a cost of Seventy-Four integrated mode resulting in large scale producers Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-One Thousand, participating in various stages of the value chain, from Four Hundred and Sixty-Nine Pula (P74 421 469), supply of day old chicks, feed supply, to processing compared to 3 394 projects implemented at a cost of plants. To grow a fair and equitable participation of Sixty-Seven Million, Six Hundred and Twenty-Nine all interested groups, small scale farmers are given a Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Pula (P67 dispensation to import feeds. They are also facilitated 629 888) in financial year 2020/2021. A larger share of through clusters to register at Public Procurement and about 80 per cent of the LIMID budget is utilised by Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) and supply Government the resource poor component, while 20 per cent goes to institutions, and thus gain market access. infrastructure development component.

The other initiative is to build slaughter facilities during Mr Chairperson, I wish to indicate that LIMID and the 2021/2022 financial year to be accessed by small special ISPAAD programmes will be evaluated and scale farmers so that they too can supply wholesome ultimately reviewed in the financial year 2021/2022 meat. This will enable them to access market which will to determine their impact on livestock industry and normally be for large scale farmers only. align the objectives of the programme to the ministry’s transformation agenda. In another development, a citizen-owned hatchery with 3 000 parent stock has been established in Letlhakane In an effort to increase access to markets while the cattle and started production in January 2021. The hatchery industry is being resuscitated or restructured, live cattle has contracted seven out growers who will raise day-old are exported for slaughter. To date, a total of 56 373 cattle chicks to point of lay. This means that the restriction have been exported under this dispensation, of which 55 on import of pullets will be effected in the near future 620 were sold to the Republic of South Africa and 753 because farmers will be required to buy locally produced to the Republic of Namibia. Government has re-visited pullets, and only import when the local production the restructuring of the Botswana Meat Commission cannot meet the demand. These developments are a (BMC) to entail building its business model afresh demonstration that more opportunities are opening up to accommodate the interests of all stakeholders. The for other players in the poultry industry. process will specifically adopt the following key aspects: putting in place the meat regulator, liberalising the beef Mr Chairperson, under the dairy sub-sector, 5 352 914 export market and turning BMC into an economically litres of milk was produced in the 2020/2021 financial viable business as a corporatised entity, ensuring that year, compared to 6 453 398 litres in the 2019/2020 all stakeholders benefit equitably across the value chain. financial year. The decrease was due to an outbreak The process although at consultative stage is scheduled of Brucellosis at some dairy farms which resulted in to take place during this financial year. culling of 441 cows. We expect the situation to improve since the culled cows have been replaced. In addition, Mr Chairperson, in an effort to improve the genetic some private dairy companies have programmes to production potential of the national herd, the ministry import more cows in the 2021/2022 financial year. continues to provide Artificial Insemination (AI) This initiative coupled with the ministry’s funding services to farmers through 13 active AI camps. In the for expansion of some already established dairies and financial year 2020/2021 breeding season, a total of 4 milk parlours under the Industry Support Fund (ISF), 044 cows have been entered into the AI camps. The and farmer accelerator programme will certainly take current breeding season is continuing until March 31st production of milk in the country to another level. 2021.

Current Government support programmes such as Mr Chairperson, the ministry through the Foot and

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Mouth Disease (FMD) project has managed to maintain companies to continue to increase their participation the FMD free status of the country. However, we in seed production. Four local companies have been experienced an outbreak in Nxamasere extension area registered to multiply seed of varieties released by the in the North West District, which was successfully ministry in 2020/2021. The total area planted of each controlled in October 2020. crop is; maize; variety Bread Waste Meal (BWM) 401 is 150 hectares, sorghum; variety Sephala is 60 As a continuous precautionary measure, my ministry is hectares, while cowpeas; variety INIA 37 and Tswana always embarking on strengthening of cordon fences is 40 and 80 hectares respectively. This will contribute in areas of high FMD risk and in FMD free-zones to to employment creation and reduction in the import minimise wildlife damage and human vandalism. bill. The ministry continues to engage local companies The upgrading of the Botswana Animal Information and and farmers to produce seeds and three citizen-owned Traceability System (BAITS) for operational efficiency companies have been engaged to produce 150 tons’ has been completed. My ministry has managed to cowpeas and 550 tons’ maize to the value of P3.85 carry out traceability of animals in the country, with million. approximately 70 per cent of the animals tagged. The ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND statistics as captured on the system are as follows; 651 336 keepers have been registered in the BAITS system, TRANSFORMATION PLAN (ERTP) 14 425 holdings have been registered across the country, Mr Chairperson, in an effort to mitigate the impact of 501 holdings compliant for the European Union (EU) COVID-19 on the agricultural sector, my ministry is market access, 2 790 949 animals have been registered implementing the ERTP. The plan is to enhance and by farmers with the assistance by agents in BAITS cafes countrywide. strengthen agricultural production by providing support and assistance to farmers. Some finance packages My ministry will embark on a small stock traceability amongst them like Farmers Accelerator Subsidy and ISF system at the beginning of the financial year 2021/2022. are already being registered for access by farmers with The overall objective of this initiative is to facilitate the assistance of Citizen Entrepreneurial Development access to international markets for local chevon and Agency (CEDA) and National Development Bank mutton (small stock meat). (NDB) financial institutions. An amount of P100 million is set aside for the ISF, and further P20 million under Mr Chairperson, the ministry has kick-started a process Farmer Accelerator Programme in the offing. of developing a Botswana Agricultural Information Management System (BAIMS) in an effort to digitise The ERTP packages include the following: up-scaling and digitalise its systems. The objective of the BAIMS horticulture production, implementing the small-stock project is to develop a centralised national agricultural and beef value chain strategies, enhancing the poultry sector database and portal automating of all processes of sub-sector, accelerating apiculture, facilitating dairy Ministry of Agriculture and its stakeholders. development, developing the aquaculture sector, as well as increasing grain production. This is expected to lead RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT to a significant reduction in the import bill. The ERTP Mr Chairperson, the establishment of the National packages starts this financial year. Agricultural Research and Development Institute PROPOSED MINISTRY BUDGET FOR 2021/2022 (NARDI) by merging of the functions of the National Food Technology Research Centre (NFTRC), the Mr Chairperson, allow me now to present the Recurrent National Veterinary Laboratory (NVL) and the and Development Budget proposals for my ministry. Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) had progressed to almost its logical conclusion, until we A total of Two Billion, Three Hundred and Seventy experienced serious budget constraints. The original Million, Four Hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand, plan of establishing the merger by 1st April 2021 will Five Hundred and Ten Pula (P2 370 497 510) for both have to be revisited and the merger will be carried out Recurrent and Development Budget is proposed for my in phases. ministry for the financial year 2021/2022.

Mr Chairperson, one big step to move towards This amount is made up of One Billion, Three Hundred food security in arable farming is to empower local and Ninety-One Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-

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Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Ten Pula (P1 391 Seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty Pula 997 510) for the Recurrent Budget, and Nine Hundred (P146,497,330) for Department of Animal Production; and Seventy-Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand Thirty Six Million, Four Hundred and Eleven Thousand, Pula (P978 500 000) for the Development Budget. Three Hundred Pula (P36,411,300) for Department of Agricultural Business Promotions; Four Hundred and RECURRENT BUDGET 2021/2022 Forty-Six Million, One Hundred and Seven Thousand, The ministry’s Recurrent Budget proposal for the year Five Hundred and Forty Pula (P446,107,540) for is One Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety-One Million, Department of Veterinary Services and Twenty-Three Nine Hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand, Five Million, Five Hundred and Sixty-Two Thousand and Hundred and Ten Pula (P1 391 997 510). Ten Pula (P23,562,010) for Department of Agricultural Research Statistics and Policy Development. The ministry’s five parastatal organisations namely; Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural DEVELOPMENT BUDGET 2021/2022 Resources (BUAN), Botswana Agricultural Marketing The Development Budget proposal for the Financial Board (BAMB), Botswana Meat Commission (BMC)- year 2021/2022 is Nine Hundred and Seventy-Eight Maun, National Research and Development Institute Million, Five Hundred Thousand Pula (P978,500,000). (NARDI) and National Food Technology Research The budget reflects a decline of One Hundred and Fifty- Centre (NFTRC) have been allocated a total provision Eight Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Pula (P158, of Two Hundred and Ninety-Nine Million, Four 800,000) which is 14 per cent decrease of the current hundred and Thirty-Two Thousand, Eight Hundred financial year. and Ten Pula (P299 432 810). The allocation per organisation as follows: Four Million, Four Hundred The 2021/2022 Development budget will be used and Forty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty Pula mainly for the projects as indicated below; (P4,440,920) to Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB); Two Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million and 0501 - MOA Headquarters – Three Hundred and Eight Fifty-Three Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixty Pula Million, Five Hundred Thousand Pula (P308,500,000) (P227,053,460) to Botswana University of Agriculture 0503 - Crop Production – Three Hundred and Thirteen and Natural Resources (BUAN); Twenty-Three Million, Million Pula (P313 000 000) Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pula (P23,750,000) to Botswana Meat Commission (BMC)-Maun, Twenty 0504 - Agricultural Research –Fifty-Six Million Pula Million (P20 000 000) to National Agricultural Research (P56 000 000) and Development Institute (NARDI) and Twenty Four Million, One Hundred and Eighty-Eight Thousand, Four 0506 - Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Hundred and Thirty Pula (P24, 188, 430) to National Resources (BUAN) – Ninety-Four Million Pula (P94 Food Technology Research Centre (NFTRC). 000 000)

Mr Chairperson, the proposed total allocation for 0507 - Animal Production – One Hundred and Seventy the ministry’s departments excluding parastatals is Million Pula (P170 000 000) One Billion, and Ninety-Two Million, Five Hundred 0510 - Veterinary Services – Thirty-Seven Million Pula and Sixty-Four Thousand, Seven Hundred Pula (P37 000 000) (P1,092,564,700).The breakdown per department is as follows: One Hundred and Thirteen Million, Seven CONCLUSION Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand Five Hundred and Twenty Pula (P113,774,520) for ministry headquarters; Mr Chairperson, this concludes my presentation of the Two Hundred and Twenty-Nine Million, One Hundred 2021/2022 Recurrent and Development Budget for my and Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Pula ministry. I therefore, move that the sum of One Billion, (P229,104,750) for the Department of Crop Production; Three Hundred and Ninety-One Million, Nine Hundred Ninety-Seven Million, One Hundred and Seven and Ninety-Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Ten Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Pula (P97,107,250) Pula (P1,391,997,510) under Recurrent Estimates and for Department of Agricultural Research; One Hundred the sum of Nine Hundred And Seventy-Eight Million, and Forty-Six Million, Four Hundred and Ninety- Five Hundred Thousand Pula (P978.500,000) under

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the Development Estimates be approved and stand as because most of them are the heads of their households. part of the Schedule and the estimates. I thank you Mr That means they seriously have challenges. Therefore, Chairperson. we have to consider the issues that are hindering them when it comes to getting involved in agriculture. The MINISTER OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, issue of giving people portions in one’s field, we have SPORT AND CULTURE DEVELOPMENT (MR to see how we could simplify that, so that these women RAKGARE): On a point of procedure. Mr Chairperson that I am talking about could be helped, without any thank you very much. I wanted to say maybe it is complicated issues because in cases of inheritance, important for me to retract what I said last week in maybe their parent would be trying to share a piece of Parliament, so that we can move on, if you allow. Thank land belonging her amongst them…(Inaudible)…if she you. wants to demarcate her field amongst her children, it is a MR CHAIRPERSON: I do not know what you challenge, cause it seems it is not clear how they should said, you said so many things, I cannot remember. go about it. I am referring to all women in Botswana ...(Inaudible)... in general. They would go to the land board saying they request their land to be demarcated, and then have MR RAKGARE: Yes sir, last week various Members certificates for it, and some land boards would say, “no of Parliament from the opposition pointed out that the you have to go to council to request physical planners to President has businesses around, and that, that does not make plans.” They have to also go to private planners, put the country on a good pedestal, and it tarnished the which charge exorbitantly. You have to collaborate with image of the Office of the President to the nation. the relevant ministry to address this issue Honourable Minister, which is the Ministry of Local Government, MR CHAIRPERSON: Order! Honourable Rakgare because it seems this issue comes from the council, Order! Honourable Rakgare, we are not dealing with that they should request to have physical plans done for that right now, we are dealing with the budget… them. It should be amended and made clear. We should HONOURABLE MEMBER: Yes, he just wants to know exactly how things should happen. waste time. What you did is good Mr Chairperson; we The other issue is in regard to Integrated Support do not have time to play. Programme for Arable Agriculture Development MR CHAIRPERSON: I did not ask you to help me. (ISPAAD). It has to be clear what we are saying about farmers, as you know that in this ploughing season, HONOURABLE MEMBER: You will only speak… there were delays, it was not clear whether ISPAAD is (Inaudible)… there or not, and how it was supposed to go about. Some farmers ended up ploughing using their own seeds. After MR CHAIRPERSON: Order! Honourable Members, using their seeds like that, when they went to seek help the floor is open, I give the floor to Honourable Dr to have the ministry pay for the ploughing, it was said Gobotswang. there was a communique which was issued that if one DR GOBOTSWANG (SEFHARE- did not register to receive seeds it means they cannot RAMOKGONAMI): Thank you Mr Speaker. Let me be assisted with ploughing. Honourable Minister, you start by saying yesterday we were celebrating a big day have to clarify that issue, so that it would be clear what for women, so I would like to preface by submission you are saying, so that people could be helped. People by talking about the role of women in agriculture or are suffering. I appreciate the issue which Honourable food production in this country. All the experts and Manake seemed to be denying that ISPAAD is being researchers, agree that women are leading when it reviewed, and apparently the next ISPAAD will be comes to food production, especially when it comes to output based. Today I heard it being presented in line subsistence farming. I would also like to echo that, that with what the President and Honourable Matsheka we should recognise this about women. explained it, that is how it is going to be.

Over and above that, we should realise that although Now I want to talk about the issue of goat meat, which women are making so much effort, they have a challenge the President is always talking about. The issue has regarding resources; they do not reach them. There is always been ‘is there a market or there is no market,’ also a challenge regarding land, they do not have land because the President has told the nation repeatedly that

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he has found a market in the Arab countries. Now last DR GOBOTSWANG: No, this time is limited. She time we heard the Minister stating that the market has will elucidate as time goes on. not yet been found. This issue should be clarified, what exactly are you saying? Mr Chairperson, there is an issue of people who are into horticulture, who are also concerned. They are worried Honourable Minister, before I continue with this because people who grow crops know that when they issue of goat meat, please explain to the nation what harvest them, they go to Marketing Board. Cattle farmers happened with the issue of ostriches, because when you know that they go to BMC. There are even claims that look at this issue of goat meat, it is going through the there are plans to construct multi-species abattoirs for same route as that of ostriches. The President is the one sheep farmers. So, people who grow vegetables are just who was leading the song, and an ostrich abattoir was in the dark because the issue pertaining to vegetable and built. They went to Dibete to establish how the ostrich fruits market is not clarified and we cannot continue like farming is going to operate, saying there was a market. Where is the ostrich farming programme Honourable this. Minister? We have to be updated about it because the The other issue that I want to talk about is the main route that you are taking is the same route that you concern that we do not have an agriculture policy took in regard to ostrich farming programme. The as a country. We cannot continue like that. It is very President is leading the song, ‘abattoirs are going to be important to draft an agriculture policy and present it in constructed at Tsabong, and Lobu is also taking off.’ We Parliament. are investing a lot of funds on projects which cannot take us anywhere. Botswana Democratic Party (Domkrag) The other thing is that, we do not have targets as to when failed to sustain abattoirs which were already up and we intend to be a self-sufficient country when it comes running, they have collapsed, so what tells you that this to producing enough food, milk, vegetables and eggs. time around you can manage multi-species abattoirs of We have to know what we are working on because the sheep and goats? Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) Whiteman says, ‘that which you cannot measure, you collapsed in Lobatse, Francistown and Maun in that cannot manage.’ way. So how are we going to implement this plan? This even affects our oversight as Parliament, what are If at all you have secured the market, will that market or we going to do to see that Ministers do what they are those Arabians allow us to take our goats there before supposed to do if they have not set targets for themselves? they even see the condition of our abattoir? They are Issues of monitoring and evaluation become difficult. religions people so they have to see how we slaughter Oversight issues becomes a challenge. When it comes our goats and sheep. There is halal and other related to these issues, I do not understand what the problem is issues which they believe in. and why we fail to set targets for ourselves so that we would know our progress every year. There is another issue that I want to move on to, the issue of land. We have to agree that we realise that there The other issue which we have talked about so many is going to be a challenge when it comes to how we want times which hinders our agriculture, an issue which has to administer land issues. The system that we have been proven time and again to be the main challenge is in using where a person would have a ploughing field, a relation to how the government buys produces from home in Mochudi, a ploughing field in Oliphant’s Drift farmers. We hope that output-based means that farmers and a cattle post in Sojwe, is an issue that we have to crops are going to be purchased with reasonable prices. look into. I think that time has come for us to consider Right now you will find that sorghum in Botswana is the fact that a person has to do their things in one place priced like in South Africa but in South Africa, they buy where possible, more especially ploughing fields and produces and other things at reasonable prices because cattle posts. They have to be in one place for management there is competition while there is monopoly in our purposes. You cannot take these long trips… country. These things raises concern.

“EXCHANGE OF SPEAKERSHIP” The other issue which raises concern on Agriculture is the issue of extension officers. We have extension MR CHAIRPERSON (MR PULE): Honourable Dr officers who are more like Clerks nowadays. They no Gobotswang, good afternoon Honourable Members. longer go out there to teach people how they should Honourable Manake is asking for a point of elucidation.

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grow crops. With those words Mr Chairperson, I thank Chairperson, Ministers, some Members of Parliament you. and the nation of Botswana at large started to understand what Lobu or Kgalagadi has in store for them. Although MR CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much they did not go and buy at Lobu, we saw vehicles like Honourable Dr Gobotswang. Good afternoon trailers frequently going to Kgalagadi to buy goats as a Honourable Members. The floor is now for Honourable way to try and revive the economy of our constituency Molale who will be followed by Honourable Lesaso which depends on small stock. and followed by Honourable Lesedi in that order. Honourable Molale, the floor is yours. I want to be forthright and highlight that we welcome the multi-species abattoir which is being constructed MR BROOKS (KGALAGADI SOUTH): Thank you at Tsabong with open arms even though I heard one Mr Chairperson. I will take Honourable Molale’s slot, he asked me to take it. Thank you Mr Chairperson. Honourable Member trying to ridicule it, to discard it and to stress the nation more especially people of my MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Brooks, are you constituency who long waited for small stock abattoirs sure about Honourable Molale? of that standard Mr Chairperson. That is an effort. We have to teach people that there is a Setswana idiom which MR BROOKS: 100 per cent sure, he said he will not says, “setlogelwa tsatsing se ikisa meriting” which be here sir. means that when someone assists you with something, MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND you have to meet them half way. When the government RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MR MOLALE): Mr constructs abattoirs of that standard for us, especially us residents of Kgalagadi, we have to stand up and come Chairperson, I am here. I informed Chief Whip that I am up with strategies that will take our abattoirs forward. giving away my slot. So I do not know who has been We should not have a situation whereby the government given my slot, I do not know if it is Honourable Brooks constructs abattoirs for us and also comes and manage or somebody else. It is up to the Chief Whip sir. them for us, so and so coming from elsewhere to go and GOVERNMENT WHIP (MR KABLAY): It is assist us to run those abattoirs. Honourable Brooks; we sent that message sir. After the construction of those abattoirs, they should MR CHAIRPERSON: Okay. Honourable Brooks, find us prepared. then Honourable Lesaso and Honourable Lesedi in that The Farmers Associations of Kgalagadi Constituency order. and Botswana at large, we should open our eyes and MR BROOKS: Thank you Mr Chairperson. Let me take make sure that we use the available opportunities so that this time to thank the Minister, and most importantly we take part in supporting and managing the economy support his proposal. of Botswana. We can manage this only if we can join hands Mr Chairperson. HONOURABLE MEMBER: Procedure Mr Chairperson. Mr Chairperson, I want to directly tell the Minister that recently there was a programme that really assisted. MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Motsamai, do Honourable Minister, I would like to tell you that if you you want to put your procedure through the chat box? believe that agriculture is the backbone of the economy Honourable Brooks. of Botswana since Motswana depends on it, he or she has to sell a cow, goat and farm produce to pay people MR BROOKS: Mr Chairperson, I thank the Minister without having to beg from anyone. for presenting this budget request the way he presented it before this Parliament. Although we have to support We must come up with another programme which can him, I would like to highlight two or three points assist and make it easy for them to perform those duties. according to how my constituents and I believe we can We should take a leaf from the past where Government use them to develop agriculture in Botswana. I would dug boreholes and connected water for people and like to thank him for the efforts that he made last year maybe what we can do differently now is paying. and Rural Development Council (RDC) for visiting When you dig and research shows that there is water, Lobu. That on its own, after their visit to Lobu Mr we should connect it to farms, cattle posts and other

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areas out there where Batswana can connect that water areas and assist them. Let us extend network so that at low instalments to pay off costs. This can contribute even when I am at the cattle post, I will be able to access to agriculture growing in leaps and bounds where the system through the phone network and register my tomorrow our small country with a small population cattle, have access to the veterinary surgeon without would be able to feed Southern African Development going up and down to find him or her at Kokotsha and Community (SADC) countries. going back to Makanyane to find a police officer at Werda. If Residents of Makanyane do not get a police With your good initiative of allowing farmers to sell officer from Werda, they get him or her from Lorolwane live cattle outside, we will be feeding South Africa and Mabule or Boshoek. This is tedious and more costly Namibia, helping to support the outside market. I can than the cow you could be selling. There is discrepancy go on with the full knowledge that you have extended Honourable Minister, we should create a conducive up to the end of July. Honourable Minister, you have environment for Kgalagadi farmers. You travel from indicated that you intend to restructure Botswana Meat Kokotsha, Leherwane, Tshanetshane to Khawa or Commission (BMC). Since you indicate that you want Struizendam to find a police officer and veterinary to absolve BMC, promise farmers that you will keep surgeon to get a permit. Honourable Minister, these are extending until BMC is fully operational, that is when serious impediments in areas which do not have roads. we can start afresh. These are some of the things that we need to address. There is need to avail vehicles which are in a working condition in all your offices in Botswana. It should be Honourable Minister, in your budget proposal, I have easy for a veterinary surgeon to travel when a farmer not heard you make mention of Lobu. Recently you saw comes and reports that he or she has a challenge at first-hand the state of disrepair that the fence and hostels the cattle post or there are pests at the ploughing field. of Lobu are in. I have not heard you mention the repair The ratio of the extension officers should tally with needed Honourable Minister. I have not heard you the public. Sometimes you find one extension officer mention the researches that are going to be conducted on serving the whole of Tsabong Mr Minister, this is a food and different minerals in Botswana. When we talk problem. We should make it easy for them and give of agriculture and Botswana University of Agriculture them a certain number looking at the size of a ploughing and Natural Resources (BUAN), I always mention that field and how much time he or she is going to take there, I want it allocated a piece of land at Lobu. I did not hear since the officer has to do a thorough job for Batswana you delve deeper into it but the time has come for you who are living off produce from that field. to get that piece of land so that we can help you apply Mr Minister, I support your budget proposal. Continue pressure on these issues Honourable Minister. beautifying the environment and Kgalagadi, visit frequently the project that you are building at Tsabong. Honourable Minister, you need to check out the Ministry Frequently visit Lobu, until it becomes an area of of Investment and Trade. Citizen Entrepreneurial excellence. We will be happy if you can do that. Mr Development Agency (CEDA) which is one of the Chairperson, with those words, I support the Minister to programmes which could facilitate achievement of your be allocated that budget to go and assist farmers. goals, fund farmers and they also put a stumbling block on their way. At your Tsabong agriculture office, there MR LESASO (SHOSHONG): Thank you Mr are 57 applications for the post of the Range Ecologist Chairperson. Thank you for giving me an opportunity as we speak, since January this year. You can see that to debate the Honourable Minister of Agricultural the absence of a Range Ecologist is a stumbling block; Development and Food Security’s budget proposal. the post is there but the officer is not available. The I thank him for the efforts they have been making of challenge is, how long will it take him or her to come bringing Batswana food and developing agriculture. given the unavailability of transport, other work related challenges to manage to assess all these people. These I have several points and I will start with Shoshong things are a drawback and that is when Batswana start Constituency. Farmers need assistance to be productive, losing confidence in us Honourable Minister. we need access to roads to be able to reach our farms. As I speak, we have several farms which are called the We need to open our eyes on these matters and offer the Sandveld and those who have farms there know the state right assistance. Honourable Minister, let us leave our of those roads. The area consists of dense sands which offices and go and address Batswana out there in rural require a strong person to go there.

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Another challenge is, there is shortage of electricity at Moving on Mr Chairperson, our constituency also has Sandveld farms. I am trying to advise the Ministry of the potential for poultry production. Therefore, find Agricultural Development and Food Security that at those who are well equipped to assist us. Poultry, goats least if they can take one of the farms and turn it into a and cattle can create jobs for us thus, relieving us from solar farm which can distribute electricity to Sandveld the burden of overspending on Ipelegeng as well as farms, it would help people to have access to electricity. increasing Ipelegeng workers like the Minister of Local Nowadays technology has improved, let us help Government mentioned. people at the farms. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Wi-Fi should be availed so that I want to move on to the issue which is close to my heart, internet can be easily available in their areas. the issue that I am concerned about Mr Chairperson. We have disaster risk management which is not performing Mr Chairperson, we have the Mosolotshane-Moralane as should. As we speak, it could be assisting all sectors road. It is used by farmers who travel on a daily basis of the economy; they could be providing us with from their farms using many vehicles and this road is real time data concerning all the risks that we have, always damaged. Please consider repairing this road mitigation responses and our necessities in Botswana. as it is not damaged by the residents of Moralane and we have heard that we are going to be attacked by locust. Mosolotshane but by Sandveld farmers. They should be telling us about prevention mitigation and all these things which may help the Ministry of Mr Chairperson, we also have the Dibete-Poloka- Agriculture to be prepared. So it seems like they are Mokgenene road. Mr Chairperson, I have talked a lot underperforming, maybe a time has come for them to about this road, it is an economic road since it connects legislate to a department which will always be hands- Sandveld and Tuli Block farms. It connects Western areas to Eastern areas. It is one of the roads which need on instead of being an ad hoc where they keep inviting to be considered since agriculture is involved and it can people to assist here and there. assist. At least it should be graded so that cattle can be Mr Chairperson, another thing is Serowe Milk Parlor. transported in a smooth road from Sandveld and those Yesterday the Minister of Trade mentioned that they coming from the East to Sandveld. have come up with some strategies to ensure that it never collapses that is, before it starts… the Minister I am worried Mr Chairperson, there are those who of Agriculture should also have a discussion with live in areas like Dibete, Poloka, Mokgenene, Otse, Pegzozo’s ministry so that they may try to operate this Kodibeleng, Ikongwe and Moralane, those who are parlor like the one that is at Lobatse. In this manner, regarded as herdsmen but there are no jobs. In that they are going to be in good condition and have enough manner Mr Chairperson, I request us to come up staff before operating. The Minister of Trade must get with programmes which can assist them because they permission from the Minister of Agriculture so that they are qualified to do some jobs. Firstly, regarding the may maintain it before handing over. President’s initiative where he donates rams; let us provide these people with farms where they can keep Mr Chairperson, I am grateful because the poultry these rams. In this manner, they will use them to earn industry seems to have direction. It has been facilitated a living thus, ridding themselves from poverty. Many so that some may start chick hatcheries instead of getting of them are also going to quit Ipelegeng and manage to them from certain people only. This is to say, small generate income; sustain themselves and their families stock farmers are also going to get the opportunity to and gain dignity in the process. produce them, Therefore, they are going to grow as they will be relying on themselves than on others. That is a I will also talk about milk Mr Chairperson. We have commendable effort from the Ministry of Agriculture. I farms in our constituency where we keep non-dairy really appreciate that effort. cattle. So I request the Ministry of Agriculture to assess this constituency and find out if it is possible to take Another point is, we used to have some fields at the cattle one of the farms and keep dairy cattle there. If we fail posts under Arable Lands Development Programme to produce milk, at least we can keep dairy cattle, sell (ALDEP). So I request them to assist those field owners them to other constituencies as well as multiply them in so that they can start ploughing; provide them with all the process. This is one of the things which I encourage necessary requirements like you do with other fields in them to consider Mr Chairperson. Botswana. This means that farmers in cattle posts are

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going to be able to earn a living from them as they will highlighted that some funds are reserved for Maun be ploughing near their cattle posts. It is going to be BMC. The truth is, Batswana are keeping cattle and they easy for them to plough and feed their cattle and goats. do not know who to sell them to. So, tell us more about BMC Minister, clarify the condition of BMC. That way, MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Lesaso, we are going to be in a better position to give Batswana Honourable Mathoothe is asking for clarification. clear information about the condition of BMC when MR LESASO: No, I have limited time Mr Chairperson. addressing any kind of meeting with them. we have Mr Chairperson, I am also concerned about Artificial heard that some cattle are going to be sold to Namibia Insemination (AI). As I speak, my constituency and elsewhere but Batswana know nothing about that. is one of those which keep a higher population of Moreover, in villages, they do not have information in cattle. Unfortunately, we do not have any AI near my terms of how it is going to be operated. So I plead with constituency Sandveld as well as Shoshong. So I urge the Minister, as you are proposing a budget, make sure you to bring AIs near so that farmers who are closer to that you inform Batswana about these issues so that they these farms may benefit, so they can get cattle semen may understand them. from Sandveld. In this manner, they are going to Let me rush through the issue of roads; there are no roads improve their cattle breeds near Shoshong. at the fields where farmers plough and at the cattle posts We still have people who still take their livestock to the where farmers keep their livestock. I know that your rivers so they may drink water Mr Chairperson. As I budget is insufficient but from what you are proposing speak, soils have been eroded from rivers, we no longer Minister, divide it wisely such that you assist farmers. have soil there. Moreover, they drilled some boreholes Most of our farmers did not make profit because you at the rivers in areas where there is sand and they have will find that they are there but do not have good roads now dried up. Assist them by drilling boreholes for which they can use. As we speak, they have ploughed them near these rivers so that they may form clusters but it is quite difficult for them to access their fields, and draw water from them. Water has dried up and as especially during rainfall seasons. The roads which a result, they are drinking from …(Inaudible)… so let lead to their fields and cattle posts are … your ministry us assist them so that they may manage to supply their Minister, let it assist in terms of ensuring that farmers livestock with water Mr Chairperson. manage to transport their produce to villages. Let me Mr Chairperson, we have Mmamabele cluster at highlight that … Shoshong so assist them with electricity, good roads and MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Lesedi, Honourable boreholes so that they may start operating. Let us assist P.P.P. is asking for elucidation. them so that they can start producing, employ young people as a way of creating jobs at Shoshong. That is all MR LESEDI: I yield but he must be brief because I I wanted to say concerning the Ministry of Agriculture. have limited time. Thank you Mr Speaker. MR MOATLHODI: Elucidation. Thank you MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Lesedi, followed Honourable Chairperson. Good afternoon sir. Thank by His Honour the Vice President (VP). you very much Honourable Lesedi, I completely concur with you. I am begging the Minister to revive Botswana MR LESEDI (SEROWE SOUTH): Thank you Mr Meat Commission (BMC) at Francistown which you Chairperson. We appreciate the budget proposal by the destroyed. Thank you Honourable Lesedi. Minister. Mr Chairperson, the Minister should consider his ministry as the only one that has the potential, MR LESEDI: Thank you Mr Chairperson. Indeed, especially now that we were attacked by COVID, to Honourable Members should make the situation of produce food, feed the nation as well as create jobs for BMC clear so that we can understand. Batswana. We really suffered because we did not have food and if the Minister may seriously pay attention to Let me quickly rush and discuss the issue of cordon this issue, if she can find ways to improve the Ministry of fences; Minister as you request for funds, you should Agriculture, surely Batswana are going to be sustained. maintain cordon fences. These fences are dilapidated, if there can be an outbreak of Foot and Mouth as there The Minister presented but she did not tell us more are threats, it is going to be even more expensive than about Botswana Meat Commission (BMC). She only it is now. Currently there is no personnel at the gates.

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Personnel working at the gates only work day shift. Tell You know that there was a recent challenge to procure me why would you issue permits for cattle if the fences chicks. are dilapidated like this and there is free movement of wildlife, cattle and vehicles? When a person is herding MR MOTSAMAI: On a point of procedure. Mr cattle and realises there is a gate, he will try to dodge it, Chairperson, the procedure I am rising on is that from this is a clear indication that we have forgotten about the the onset, I was number three in the list of members cordon fences. If there can be an outbreak of the disease who were raising their hands up until I managed to Mr Chairperson, it is going to be more expensive than if succeed as I did but we are on the sixth speaker. What we can maintain these fences. is the procedure of this House Mr Chairperson? I am compelled to debate on agriculture. Let me quickly rush and discuss the issue of milk; there is shortage of milk supply in the country that is MR CHAIRPERSON: Yes sir, you will debate. You indeed true. Let me give an example of Milk Collection are queuing. Centre at Serowe, which is poorly constructed. It is of MR MOTSAMAI: Thank you. poor quality and can never be revived. The machines that package cannot package. They have never operated MR CHAIRPERSON: From the hands that I see, since they were installed and this is viewed as if farmers next it is Honourable Mmolotsi then yourself on the are failing to supply milk, currently there is no market opposition. Our formula is 2-1, 2-1. We are applying it for their milk supply. We hope that as we approve this and I have been following it to the dot. We are going in budget you will repair this plant. You should check line Honourable Motsamai. whether the quality of those machines can receive milk MR LESEDI: Thank you Mr Chairperson. Minister, supply. Let us implement durable products which will kindly scrutinise the programme initiated by his benefit Batswana. Whilst discussing this Milk Collection Excellency the President of donating bucks. I was with Centre, there are no roads even if you can repair that you recently when bucks were being donated at my centre Minister. That is why I am saying if you carry constituency. We donated a buck to one person at Goo- out a maintenance project in that assigned location, you Mogorosi village. Minister, partner with the Minister of should construct roads. You constructed a road through land Board to see how you can assist these farmers who Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) in your ministry are making so much effort in terms of allocating them so that those producing milk can be able to transport it land. Land Board should allocate them land so that their to the plant before it expires. stock can multiply. If the stock is kept in the village, there is nothing much we can anticipate from that. Minister, Honourable Minister that was a futile exercise because at the homestead we were donating a buck to, there is you implemented that project through ESP which no a serious outcry as per our request that they should be longer exists. Roads are dilapidated, they are in poor assisted. That poor person lost a large number of goats condition. Culverts which were recently installed as so these are factors worth considering. Although you I explained were of low quality, there was no proper donated to those people, there is no education. The poor supervision. There are no culverts, it is worse than person gathered his goats and problems erupted, I was before. You know there will be a huge difference if with you Honourable Minister. there can be gravel on earth road. If they could have left earth roads, it would have been better, they could at least Mr Chairperson, there is an issue of service centre at drive on them. Serowe South which was long included in the plan and then removed due to budgetary constraints. Minister, Honourable Minister when it comes to the issue of you know that the issue of lack of funds is none of my chicks; I want you to pay close attention to it. Local concern. I will not entertain it because all the plans farmers more especially youth and small enterprises who which require funds, you emphasise them as if you will wish to set up business on selling chicks are suffering. implement. So this service centre will serve farmers. There is no proper market for them to procure chicks. Travel to China to borrow money to build this service You know there is only one person with those rights in centre. It was planned looking at its significance to Botswana and that is Mr Dada and he has no interest the community in that area. It serves Dibete to Tonota. in selling those rights. It is difficult for the youth and Honourable Minister, we need that service centre. Try to people interested in venturing in this line of business. source funds. Thank you Mr Chairperson.

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MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Members, let his ministry, which shows that he has fully utilised the me clear this mist here; I have a list here of Umbrella money he was given. for Democratic Change (UDC) which Honourable Motsamai is not in. The next person after Dr Gobotswang The main objective of NDP 11 is to focus on poverty from the UDC’s side is Honourable Tshabang. eradication, like they have written at paragraph 330, which I am requesting your permission to read it Mr HONOURABLE MEMBERS: …(Murmurs)… Chairperson. Paragraph 330 of National Development Plan, Mid-Term Review states that, “the priorities for the MR CHAIRPERSON: Wait! Wait! Then I have the last half of the plan period include; poverty eradication, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) list which the next health, education and food security. NDP 11 strategies speaker who I am going to call right now is Honourable that were adopted to improve outcomes are as follows; Leader of the House, His Honour the Vice President, diversification of rural economies, development and who will be followed by Honourable Motaosane. Then support of small businesses, provision of social safety we have got another list you are not in from UDC, after nets, eradication of absolute poverty, provision of Honourable Motaosane, Honourable Mmolotsi will quality and equitable education, promotion of access to follow in that order. basic services, shelter, sanitation, education, health and HONOURABLE MEMBER: Motsamai, what did the harmonisation of social protection programmes. These members of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) do to you. will be continued in the remaining half of the National Development Plan.” HONOURABLE MEMBERS: …(Laughter!)… That really shows us the direction we should take. HIS HONOUR THE VICE PRESIDENT (MR When you look at this Ministry of Agriculture, even TSOGWANE): Leave Motsamai alone, do not raise his though I did not get the chance to comment on the high blood pressure. Honourable Chairperson, let me Ministry of Local Government, this is the time to take this opportunity to comment. Our sincere apologies collaborate and eradicate poverty. The Ministry of to the people back at the constituencies, we are too many Local Government cannot eradicate poverty without the Ministry of Agriculture. When we talk about Livestock we cannot debate in each and every chapter and we will Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID), not all debate. So they should not end up hating other we are talking about a programme that is focused on Members of Parliament because they are not debating. providing assistance to poor people so that they can be Let me take this opportunity Mr Speaker, to thank freed from poverty. It is important that we implement Minister Gare of the Ministry of Agriculture. It is a very these things. important ministry and it has collaborated with other So let me quickly address other issues that I want to ministries to focus on the main mandate of National talk about because time is running out. I talked about Development Plan (NDP) 11, which we are working on. performance. Let me thank Minister Gare for making We all know that that it is the guideline. We are looking progress. Honourable Members spoke about animal at the review that is there and the intentions of the NDP fences which are important, as Honourable Lesedi has 11, as it is indicated in the Mid-Term Review which already told us. They are some of the things which we are supposed to keep on revisiting to determine our we should rely on to control animal diseases. At our progress. It is clearly evident that Honourable Minister constituency of Boteti, we have many animal fences that Gare is on the right track. He is on the right track in go through Boteti Constituency; we have the likes of regards to the National Development Plan. Firstly, let 4B, Kaka, Area A, and so on. It is important to take care me be thankful that he fully considered the things he of all these animal fences. has done and things he has achieved. The performance of the things he was supposed to implement in the last Our constituency is also too close to wild animals, at financial year. He clearly indicated in pages two and the likes of Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) three, the performance or progress in utilising the money and Makgadikgadi National Park. Let me also he was given. It is important for things to be that way thank Honourable Kereng’s ministry for erecting or so that we know how we are doing when we give him continuing to erect the Makgadikgadi fence, because money. When you look at their performance or targets, I may not get the chance to address them. Firstly, this he is at 80, 67, in regards to the different services of Makgadikgadi animal fence has been erected to help the

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farmers of Boteti so that animals do not destroy their MR TSOGWANE: Just take a second only Honourable farms. Secondly, it helps them so that when it comes Member, I have many issues I have to address. to diseases like Foot and Mouth, their cattle do not mix with wild animals and end up contracting those kind of MR MATHOOTHE: Clarification. The question that I diseases. That is a very important thing. Let me say for only wanted to ask is about the situation of these chicks. them to do that, they have helped us a lot as our farmers’ Vice President should explain this situation whereby animals will be able to increase. It is one of the issues we have the same people who are in this business of that I wanted to address that I am also thankful for. day old chicks who have the rights, whereas there are many young people or Batswana who want to get into Moving on Mr Chairperson, we look at value chain this business of day old chicks. How can this situation in agriculture or agricultural value chain; this issue is be rectified since those people do not want to sell those very important and it requires the Minister to expand rights? As a country, can we not think of maybe buying it a lot more, and you have to put more effort on it, those rights? Thank you. because that is where the jobs are. Hiring two or three MR TSOGWANE: Thank you Honourable Member workers who take care of animals does not create that for that issue, it is important, but the Minister already much employment, but the agricultural value chain answered that question. I take it that if those rights is where the jobs are. To ensure that since we will be are there, there are others that will be given to those having cattle, as we have been talking about cattle that who want to get involved in that business, that will are coming and as Honourable Members have been be implemented. Like he said that there is a hatchery talking about dairy, we will be producing feeds for that will be established at Letlhakane. If Minister is those cattle and there will be people who plant these saying that there is a hatchery that will produce 3000 feeds, and those who will be working at the mill or the chicks at Letlhakane, I think it is the Letlhakane where industry that produces these feeds. We have been talking Honourable Lelatisitswe comes from, that means that about chicks, and when we talk about producing feeds maybe some companies have been given those rights. I for these chicks we also talked about the farmers who do not think it is one company from South Africa which can be able to produce feeds for these chicks and those can give those people rights, because that means that who will be working in the industries that produce these we will have to find other companies that will provide feeds. When we talk about beef, we are talking about the people with franchises. So I take it that when it is like value chain that will produce and grind feeds for these that, there will be competition. That is what we are cattle. Those are the things we can use to create a lot of considering. jobs. I want Honourable Minister Gare to focus more on these issues. Since time has run out Honourable Member, I am just requesting for training centres to be established, like... The other point that I liked very much in your report, is the one of research; NDP 11 is also focused on strategies, MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Leader of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) House, your time is up! and conducting research. Try to assist Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources MR MOTAOSANE (THAMAGA-KUMAKWANE): (BUAN) with enough funds so that they can be able to Thank you Mr Chairperson. Let me thank you conduct their research properly. They should grow and Honourable Minister for your presentation. Since the be like the Okavango Research Institute of University of Honourable Members have already mentioned a number Botswana. They should also be widespread throughout of issues, I would like to focus on the main ones that the country and be able to conduct their research freely. I wish this Ministry of Agriculture, could leave aside I take it that Minister that is something you have put which are business as usual; so that when we talk about first, as you have been talking about research in your these things, we also implement Minister. I am still report. You are going to achieve those things and I have repeating, for us to be able to progress Minister through no doubts. I will like it very much if they can be one of you Chairperson, people who are experts should be the universities that is spearheading it, so it is some... removed from the offices in Gaborone. This one is a special request; I do not want this one to delay because it MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Leader of the does not help for people to be in the offices in Gaborone, House, Honourable Mathoothe is asking for clarification. together with the resources. You must get this one clear.

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All the resources are packed at the head office. When a Graduates Fund, which once a student graduates you go to the Agriculture head office, it is fully parked. from school wishing to venture into business, they The parking there has no space where you can park, should not go to Citizen Entrepreneurial Development but people still have their own vehicles, and there will Agency (CEDA) and NDB. They should just find that be official ones which are reserved; it will be written programme which would give them funds to create Director- official vehicle, on the other side Director- his jobs, because as the Government, we do not have jobs. own private one. When a student graduates from Botswana University of Agriculture & Natural Resources (BUAN) wanting to My request is that to address this situation, we should venture into agriculture, wanting to do projects along take the right people to the districts, so that they can those lines, we should give them funding. They will pay go and assist the extension officers to have resources back the Government. There is no way we can be able to such as vehicles. I believe if a vehicle that is used by a employ all people. I request that that fund, I do not know Director, if there is a need for the extension worker to if it is your ministry that can establish it or what, I am rush somewhere in the district, they have a right to take not only referring to BUAN graduates, every graduate this vehicle because it belongs to the Government. If who will be interested in business, there should be a one says it belongs to the Director, it does not mean he fund which they can access loans through, to be able to or she should be the only one using it. Let us pay close start businesses. If we do not pay close attention to these attention to these things and do the proper thing because things, they will make us fail to run this Government. otherwise our agriculture is going to decline forever. Therefore, I am asking that these things should be done. The other one which I wish you could look into, as the Ministry of Agriculture is to collaborate with The other important one as I have read from your the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and speech is in regard to the Economic Recovery and CEDA. Some reasons for rejecting people are not right Transformation Plan (ERTP), the funds that are given Honourable Minister. A typical example; this thing of to National Development Bank (NDB); NDB does not saying one should bring samples of grass, soil and so treat farmers properly. For one to access funds from NDB it is a difficult exercise, such that they can tell you forth; you as the Ministry for Agriculture should test in which months you should apply for a loan, from there soils everywhere, and you should know that at such a they do the processing in a rush. When we give people place, those soils are good for growing crops or they funds, it is because we want them to assist Batswana; would be good for rearing livestock. There is no grass we are going to end up giving out funds and we will which is not eaten by cattle, unless it is poisonous like not know who has taken those monies and those who mogau. When one is asked to bring tests for these things, are true farmers will not have access to them. This does what do you want a person to do? As Batswana we keep not sit well with me. A typical example; NDB, a young cattle, we date from far back as people with cattle, and person vowed that they want to produce sorghum. He we know what is happening, and then a person would gave them a solid proposal, and he was sure of the be told, “You have been rejected, you did not bring that market, and it was not even unfounded. They rejected thing.” the proposal right there and then saying where would I request that people who want agricultural loans, you as the young farmer get a market for sorghum. Who said the Ministry of Agriculture should have a liaison officer there is no market for sorghum in Botswana? Those who at CEDA who can represent you, who would know that prepare beer, the milling companies are many, those of if you are talking about cattle, he or she could assess us who consume sorghum meal on a daily basis, and and see what is happening. If they are talking about now someone says a person’s proposal has been rejected arable farming, as nowadays you would find people... based on such reasons. No, let us pay close attention to for example; they are refusing to give one farmer in these things Honourable Minister. Phuduhudu funds for a tractor, and this farmer ploughs The other one that I wish to request, I know it does not more than 200 hectares. He has leased lands because affect your ministry alone, it is also going to affect the the farms we have been saying he should rent, he did Ministry of Investment, and maybe those at the Office of that but CEDA keeps rejecting him. This is a farmer of the President under Honourable Morwaeng. Honourable repute, and he has a good track record and it cannot be Members, as a Government we should come up with hard to find out that he has an ability to pay back the a specific programme that graduates should have money. He has been rejected. These things will not help

Hansard No 201 47 Tuesday 9th March, 2021 ORGANISATION 0500 - MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY Committee of Supply

us. The Government will keep pumping money there, do not use that one.’ When you do not bring a certificate and you will find out that this funding is given to not having a Keeper ID, you might not be able to register so useful people; who would take the money and use it cattle. for something else, whatever it is they want. The people who need the money the most, who would want to The last one is just to request the cattle barons or those make use of it, are rejected. Therefore, collaborate with who own butcheries to stop swindling Batswana. They Madam Serame’s ministry, and ensure that people are should buy cattle from Batswana as they should, and given appropriate loans by CEDA and... stop buying carcasses. Let them buy a whole cow, the head and intestines and give the owners all these things. Still on CEDA again, the proof that every Motswana If they are not going to buy them, they should pay the could have 150 hectares, it has to be stated that every owners, take only the carcass and pay for it because the Motswana who ploughs 20 hectares, is eligible for a buyers would have spent on transporting cattle to the loan they can afford, which they can pay back through abattoir for the buyer. Thank you Mr Chairperson. agriculture. Therefore, you will find out that they are saying they want 150 hectares; where is that land? It is MR MMOLOTSI (FRANCISTOWN SOUTH): not there. There is nowhere one could get 150 hectares, Thank you Chairperson. From the onset, let me and for one to get this, it means they have to go around indicate that this ministry holds keys for jobs and food borrowing people’s fields. That means one has to borrow production in Botswana. Not only does it do that, it also fields in Phuduhudu, Ramatlabama, others at such and holds keys to ensuring that vaccines are manufactured such a place in order to reach that number so that one and availed in Botswana. Studies can be conducted on would qualify for a loan. It stretches your capacity as certain plant species that are available so that we can you continue ploughing, doing all things that are related manufacture our own vaccines. Note that the Food and to growing crops. We need a person with 20 hectares to Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine is manufactured locally. be able to buy a tractor which costs around P300 000, That is why I am saying this ministry is very important. and be able to grow and produce food; and be able to I want to move on to say, this country has many pay CEDA back. If we can only talk about these things challenges, most of them have to deal with us not being verbally, it is like we are just making people salivate, able to produce enough food. One day we will be in that we cannot achieve them... trouble due to this failure to produce enough food. I MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Motaosane, was hoping for the Minister’s budget presentation to Honourable Makwinja elucidation. come with recommendations on ways to turn around agriculture in Botswana, to a point where we achieve MR MOTAOSANE: Time has gone, I am just left with food security and food self-sufficiency. a minute Honourable Makwinja, I am not denying you. I mean, it is important to do more on farming, and I just wanted to mention this point about cattle. Mr reducing imports of food in to the country from outside Chairperson, there is a state when we used to have because we have realised that this country has a problem, agricultural demonstrators who were able to vaccinate as evidenced by the shortages experienced during the for us. Even if it were to be privatised, even the vaccines which the Government came with, for anthrax for lockdowns due to the outbreak of COVID-19. As a example, it is no longer happening. What is the problem? country, we found ourselves lacking. That is why I was This issue should be looked into, so that we can check hoping for the Minister of Agriculture to ...(Inaudible)… if people are still being given these vaccines. In fact, not to prepare for what we are going to do as a country to every individual is allowed to vaccinate for themselves; produce enough food; enough for everyone. In fact, one has to know how these medicines are used. This is we should even be able to produce enough and export one of the points which I had to mention. surplus. I am not forgetting the one on certificates and Keeper Mr Chairperson, like I once explained ...(Inaudible)… Identity (ID). That aspect has to be addressed, and it this year, that we cannot produce enough food if we have should not be said a keeper ID has to be renewed every improper laws and we do not have proper programmes two years. We should have one document which covers geared towards improving farming. I even suggested all these things because they are confusing even to the that the Government of Botswana needs to make a police officers. Tomorrow others will tell you ‘no, we decision once and for all. We know that all plants and

Hansard No 201 48 Tuesday 9th March, 2021 ORGANISATION 0500 - MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY Committee of Supply

animals need water to grow. That is why I suggested that even though Batswana seem interested in rearing them, the Government needs to assess commercial and serious they often lack markets where they can sell them. This farmers and assist with drilling boreholes for them. is so because even though the President promised to have secured markets, he is just saying that. Five years You will realise that the Government last time bought is going to pass by without anything being done about tractors which were used for ploughing fields and still the said Arabic market. are. They are used to plough for people through the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture With that being said, I was thinking that maybe we Development (ISPAAD). What the Government needs should find other ways of assisting Batswana to find now is to buy machines or burrow machines so that markets locally or somewhere close because they seem serious farmers can be assisted with borehole drilling keen to be small stock farmers, a market where they can at their lands, because in this era through integrated sell their stock because last time the Minister and His farming, a person can produce a lot from their field, Excellency the President were saying different things at the same time using the water from the borehole for about the Arabic market. Batswana were expecting livestock to drink. That way they can produce enough to to hear something about market deals having been feed the nation. signed and everything being ready, only to find that it is just verbal dealings like it normally happens. Mr If we cannot do that, we will continue depending Chairperson small stock production can really help on unreliable rainfall. Sometimes it falls hard like Batswana a lot. it currently did leading to damage. We are therefore not supposed to depend on rainfall as a country for I am thankful that the Minister said they are reviewing agricultural purposes. We have to depend on boreholes ISPAAD. My worry is, it takes a lot of time for we drill. That is why my request is for us to assist Government programmes to be reviewed. Normally Batswana to drill boreholes in their fields/lands. we go from year to year being told that they are still reviewing a programme. This disadvantages Batswana In order for us to progress, the Government needs to bear because usually during such reviews, the programme in mind that farm implements are now very expensive, stops. these days we need to assist Batswana promptly and for agriculture to be complete, the Government when it comes to agricultural issues so that they can should subsidise or help farmers to buy equipment; produce food and earn a living. tractors, ploughs and other implements which simplifies agriculture. …(Inaudible)…Brazil Mr Chairperson, When you take the Department of Agriculture there is a programme called family agriculture where Research Mr Chairperson, it needs funding. We need farmers are assisted to buy machines that simplify the to carry out through research. I know that they have processes, the farmers pay a small debt each time they researched on high yielding varieties which are suitable sell their produce. for different countries. They have also researched on animals and plants which can survive in different So we need to consider such programmes, to assist places. There should be communication on extension farmers in that manner so that they can progress. But for services; agricultural demonstrators and others should us to achieve that, we also have to revive cooperatives. teach Batswana in different areas about high yielding Cooperatives will be responsible for identifying varieties, which varieties take a short time to mature and markets…where Batswana will be producing food, what can yield results faster. Right now that extension where every individual will produce a certain portion service and public education is not happening properly. while the market needs more. These cooperatives will Batswana therefore continue to plough just anything merge the portions from different farmers to satisfy without knowledge, without being guided by anything. the demand market, then they will all be supplied. These things are possible if our aim is to turn around I believe if we continue that way, the results will not agriculture in Botswana. be the same as when we have proper guidance on extension services, with Batswana knowing where they I can see that in the pastoral sector, the Government are heading to. wants to improve small stock. Small stock can excel in Botswana. Batswana are also determined to rear goats Having spoken about the Botswana Meat Commission and sheep in large numbers. What bothers me is that (BMC) value chain we also have to...

Hansard No 201 49 Tuesday 9th March, 2021 ORGANISATION 0500 - MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY Committee of Supply

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Mmolotsi, there is agriculture to flourish, this is how it is supposed to be a point of elucidation from Honourable Manake. done since they are hands-on. I wish that this review will be given sufficient time and should not be done in MR MMOLOTSI: Mr Chairperson, time is not on my towns but at villages. side. Let me talk about value chain of beef. We should start with the things that we know. Beef is our speciality. I wish we could go back to crossroads when it comes to Right now we should not just be exporting beef only yet agriculture in general. If we can go back to crossroads, we know there are other products we can make out of it. we will manage to locate where we missed the step in agriculture. In the past, we knew that agriculture was Mr Chairperson, we have been operating BMC for a the backbone of our country but nowadays that has long time. Right now we could be having big companies drastically changed. I am saying, let us go back and or having BMC as a multinational company in different see where we have missed it. (1) We made a mistake countries where we will be exporting our beef and beef by reducing field demonstrators. We no longer have products, advertising our country and seeing it develop. field demonstrators in rural areas. (2) We missed it by We need multinationals like… no longer having veterinary surgeons. The veterinary MR LEUWE (TAKATOKWANE): Thank you Mr surgeons we have are clueless. You transport him with Chairperson. Good afternoon Sir. Let me thank you your vehicle and that passion that used to be there no for giving me an opportunity to also comment on longer exists. My request is, let us go back there and the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food ensure that we have field demonstrators and veterinary Security. Before going any further, I would like to surgeons, not those who spend their time in offices; they indicate my support for Honourable Gare’s budget should go to the lands and cattle posts. Right now when proposal. I support it with a few points which I would you talk to a veterinary surgeon, you will be told that like us to look into. Before that, let me thank Honourable there is no claim but we know that there is no weekend Gare, his Assistant and Permanent Secretary because in agriculture; there is no Saturday or Sunday, no day or when we are faced with challenges and call his office, night it is 24/7. If you would treat veterinary surgeons they will always come through no matter what time it is. like an officer in a constituency office who works from They would help you the best way they can. I pray that 0700 - 1630, Monday to Friday, we are going to fail in God bless these three and increase them because they agriculture. I wish we could go back to crossroads. are very responsive people. I wish other ministries were Honourable Minister, although I support you, there are as responsive as this one. a number of services we need in agriculture. We need I am grateful that it has now become clear that roads which lead to lands to transport farm produce and Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture all the resources needed to facilitate modern farming. Development (ISPAAD) is going to be reviewed. I still We need electricity, roads and communication. We need believe that agriculture can still remain the backbone them and those that you have just mentioned. We want of the economy of Botswana because in Botswana, for one to be able to communicate freely at Tsetseng, maybe 90 per cent of Batswana depend on agriculture. Kaudwane and Senyetse. Electricity is no longer luxury When I say 90 per cent, I am referring to Botswana but as we had thought. Right now it is a necessity. We at Takatokwane, it is 100 per cent; we depend solely need it for a number of things. We need it to refrigerate on farming. I think we might not be doing farming livestock vaccines. Now if we fail to address the issue of justice. I do not think we are practicing it the way it taking those services there, we are not going to succeed is supposed to be practiced to give us good results. If in agriculture. we do it the way it is supposed to be done, I believe that it will create employment, give us food and we can Service centres were a good initiative which I believed even close borders. We will only have to open borders to would facilitate agriculture. Right now they are just export not for import just like other countries are doing. white elephants; they are not utilised. Only the name My request is, as ISPAAD will be reviewed, we should remains that there is a service centre there but even if consider a number of factors especially in rural areas you go there, you will not even find a single plant. There where Batswana have no other economic option except are no tractors which I would have thought they should agriculture and it is this agriculture that is challenging be many there. You will not find all the farm implements them. They should be the ones to guide us that for there yet it is said to be a service centre. They are no

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longer serving their purpose. If we can revive them and I was about to go into the issue of clusters. It is also have them serve their purpose, it can work for us. hard for clusters to be fully functional. We have a cluster at which has…(inaudible)…we are not My other request is that we should establish a bank getting any assistance because officers are thin on the which will focus solely on assisting farmers as National ground. They are not available at all at the field but these Development Bank (NDB) does not assist them at people back then were called Field Officers. They were all. It has a lot of requirements and arable farming is available at the field and not in offices which forces seasonal. If NDB is going to take months to assist you, farmers to journey this side. It is easier when we have the rains will not wait for you. We should have a bank these people who were previously called Field Officers which focuses on assisting farmers where they know available at the field so that when you talk about clusters what a pastoral farmer will need. Maybe it should also it becomes very easy for them to understand what you be headed by people who understand agriculture not mean when you talk about a cluster. If you tell them to go this way in Khudumelapye, that our cluster is going just appointing Leuwe or Honourable Greeff who know to pass through certain places, it is going to be easy for nothing about agriculture to head an agricultural bank. them to understand instead of instructing them from It would help us a lot to have a bank which focuses on office. farmers. It can take agriculture somewhere. I pray God greatly bless this ministry because I believe I have a problem with seeds we are planting now which it has the potential to take Botswana somewhere in I do not know where they come from. terms of food production and job creation. If you can do the statistics, you will find that many people are MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Leuwe, there is a employed at the cattle posts and fields. If you go to request for elucidation by Honourable Manake. Phuduhudu and ask the people there to plant our seeds, if you just use them to set an example, you will find MR LEUWE: Okay. How much time do I have left that they have employed many people which is exactly Honourable Minister? what is required. Unfortunately, we buy expensive seeds MR CHAIRPERSON: You are left with two minutes from other countries, seeds that cannot be planted for 30 seconds. the second time. contrary to that, our people have the potential to produce seeds which we are able to replant MR LEUWE: Ah! Let her wait; half a minute during ploughing season. It shows that it is quite a Honourable. valuable seed as opposed to the one which is not open ASSISTANT MINISTER OF AGRICULTURAL pollinated. DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY (MS I have run out of time Mr Chairperson, thank you sir. MANAKE): Thank you very much Honourable Leuwe. I wholeheartedly support the proposal made by the On that issue of a bank, I am sure you read somewhere Minister. Thank you. that Honourable Matsheka said NDB is turning into an agricultural development bank and we are also working MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Members, time on the issues you raised. Even the Industry Facility is up. I now call upon the Honourable Minister of which is here, we have removed a lot of complex stuff Agricultural Development and Food Security to reply because we want Batswana to access these funds to to the debates. develop. You are going to be happy about what we are MR MOTSAMAI: Point of procedure. Mr Chairperson, doing concerning agricultural development bank. Thank are you aware of how you are running the House, are you. you really aware? Are you really aware of what you are MR LEUWE: Thank you Honourable Chair, thank doing Mr Chairperson, I am saying this because...? you Honourable Manake. The reason why I always HONOURABLE MEMBER: …(Inaudible)… praise you is even for what you are doing with this one but it should not delay because just like I said, arable MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Healy, do not farming is seasonal. It requires someone who is very assist me. Honourable Motsamai, you are out of order. responsive and knowledgeable not only in writing but also practising at the lands. MR MOTSAMAI: I am not out of order, please...

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MR CHAIRPERSON: You are out of order. only peculiar in Sefhare-Ramokgonami, it has affected the entire country. In therefore requires us to commit MR MOTSAMAI: Mr Chairperson, you told me that I ourselves and assess it as a ministry to find what the am the next speaker after Honourable Mmolotsi. problem is, such that we may provide a solution. So I MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Minister, go ahead. believe we will surely assess it.

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURAL He also talked about goat market which he compared DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY (MR to the issue of ostriches. He said that he does not GARE): Thank you Mr Chairperson. Let me start believe anything good will amount out of it. The truth by appreciating the Honourable Members for their of the matter is, we have a market in Saudi Arabia and comments and suggestions. I will address some of the the important thing is … there are those which are questions and suggestions that they raised. demanded by our market as well as those that they are going to buy from us, different things which we have Mr Chairperson, I will start with Honourable to sit and discuss. Therefore, this issue comes at a time Gobotswang, I agree with him on the basis that it where we had already started discussions and a lot of is important for us to understand and realise that things which were interrupted by Corona. We trust and agricultural sector has the potential to create jobs for us, believe that we are going to reap what we anticipated. I it can... am saying this because some people from Saudi Arabia visited Botswana last year. They came to see where we MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Gare, there is a are going to slaughter our goats. They are pleased with procedure from Honourable Thiite. our abattoir and they were with a technical advisor who MR THIITE: Point of procedure. Thank you Mr is a Motswana who is running around to process these Chairperson. I will present my case to the Honourable issues to ensure that we seal our market. I therefore Members at my group together with Honourable want Batswana to trust and believe that we are not only Kablay. I have realised that I was supposed to debate saying that without taking action. We believe than in in this sector because it is very important in our a short space of time, we are going to officially sign constituencies. So when I was supposed to take the floor this agreement. Thereafter, Batswana are going to start … Mr Chairperson, maybe... benefiting from keeping their livestock.

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Thiite, that issue You also talked about Botswana Meat Commission has nothing to do with me but has everything to do with (BMC). So it is true, BMC is not in a pleasant condition your Chief Whip because I got a list from him. It is not which is going to affect farmers. I have indicated in my a matter of procedure this side, maybe you can discuss response that we are discussing this issue and we believe it with your Whip. that the interventions or strategies that we intend to put in place are going to assist us in terms of recuperating MR THIITE: …(Inaudible)… BMC. The most important thing is to accept that the MR GARE: Thank you very much Mr Chairperson. Let beef sector has structural problems generally which me respond to what Honourable Gobotswang said, I will have to be rectified. One of the things which may assist start with the issue of borrowing fields which he raised. I us is to have a meat regulator which we are working on agree with him that we have to approach it in a different at the moment. The second thing is to liberalise the beef manner; we have to set simple conditions so that those sector so that it may be able to compete, manage to do who wish to divide or borrow fields may be able to do business freely as well as have a regulator which will so. Therefore, it is important for us to discuss it with the ensure that the playing field is level. In that manner, we relevant ministry, the Ministry of Land Management, believe that what we are currently processing is going to Water and Sanitation Services and Local Government produce our anticipated results such that we manage to and Rural Development like he suggested. recuperate BMC to a position where Batswana are able to continue to keep their cattle which they are going to Concerning the issue of Integrated Support Programme sell to BMC. for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) where people bought some seeds and want us to assist them in Concerning the issue of horticulture produce, let me terms of ploughing. I must accept that this issue is not point out that like he mentioned...

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MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Hikuama is asking Gaborone and Lobatse which we believe will be drop for clarification. off points for those who produce in horticulture it means the retail stores will be procuring from these market MR GARE: I have just started responding Honourable centres. I believe this will address market issues. There Hikuama, give me five minutes I will yield for you. was a comment about agricultural policy; it is already MR HIKUAMA: You are going to pass the point that I at draft stage; it is awaiting review stage at Economic want Honourable. Cabinet Committee (ECC). After that, it will then be presented in Parliament. I believe with God’s grace, MR GARE: Two seconds. in the upcoming Parliament winter session, we will be reviewing this policy. MR HIKUAMA: Clarification. Yes sir. Thank you Honourable Minister, thank you Mr Chairperson. Moving on Mr Chairperson, Honourable Brooks Minister, I want to talk about the meat regulator because indicated that he appreciates our visit to Lobu. Let me you talked about it in the budget and other sessions. You indicate that in addition to that, it is our intention as the have been saying that you are working on it. Can you Ministry of Agriculture Development and Food Security therefore confirm when you expect the issue of the meat to partner with Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) to set regulator to be finalised? Perhaps it may give farmers up incubation. Our plan is to incubate small stock. After some hope and confidence. Thank you. that, we will motivate them by giving them small stock they would have produced through incubation at Lobu. MR CHAIRPERSON: There is another clarification He also indicated or rather suggested that we have to from Honourable Taolo Lucas. visit the abattoir which is currently being constructed MR GARE: No, let me proceed because I might not get at Tsabong. Let me indicate that the abattoir was not the chance to respond. constructed because we have secured a market at Saudi Arabia. It has always been in the plan. The challenge was HONOURABLE MEMBER: I was going to add on funds. It is a multispecies abattoir which does not only to what Honourable Hikuama said Mr Chairperson, it focus on small stock. Furthermore, let me assure you that is okay. in exporting to Saudi Arabia, it will be fully complaint with the requirements of that market. He urged farmers’ MR CHAIRPERSON: Okay. association to seriously partake, which I concur. The MR GARE: Thank you very much Honourable Member suggestion to increase live export until BMC is fully for that clarification. I may not be able to confirm by operational; I think I cannot provide an answer now but giving a specific timeframe but as an indication as we will see our progress in our attempts to resuscitate opposed to when we expect to finalise it. I am saying BMC and the impact of live export in our livestock. that because like we mentioned, we have come up with We have to acknowledge that during live export to a programme which allows Batswana to sell live cattle. South Africa, yes our farmers get better returns but it We believe that at the end of the term that has been given means we export jobs because if they were slaughtered to us, we should have made reasonable progress so that in our country, we could be creating employment for cattle farmers may have an alternative market when our people. He commented on the issue of Lobu fence, finalizing the issue of live export. There can only be an research and BUAN that it should be extended to the alternative viable market if issues of meat regulators rural areas. I think that was just a suggestion which we and BMC are in good condition. In that manner, I might will see how we can deploy. He also mentioned that we make a mistake if I give you a specific timeframe but I should engage Citizen Entrepreneurial Development can promise you that I will no longer tell you that we Agency (CEDA), let me indicate that we are already are working on the meat regulator when discussing the partnering with Ministry of Trade… budget next year. I will keep updating this House about MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Gare, there is a the meat regulator. request for clarification from P.P.P. Moving on Mr Chairperson, on the issue of horticulture; MR GARE: A few minutes, sir. the question was what are our plans regarding horticulture. Let me indicate that we are trying to MR MOATLHODI: Clarification. Thank you refurbish market centres at Francistown, Bobonong, Honourable Chairperson, good afternoon sir. Thank

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you very much Honourable Minister for allowing me to to view these things and balance them, yes there might interrupt you, I will be very brief. Honourable Minister be a delay but this delay is because we want the ranch during your response kindly explain what your intention ecology report. I believe this is protecting the lender regarding BMC Francistown and BMC Lobatse is? and the one borrowing the money, perhaps we could be Good luck. undertaking interventions to speed up the ranch ecology report instead. It is important if there was no thorough MR GARE: Thank you Honourable P.P.P. I thought research in the report and the grazing field in that area I had already talked about BMC. Nonetheless, as I is not good for your livestock it means the project is indicated at the beginning, our intention is to resuscitate going to collapse and you are going to end up in debt. both BMCs. We have earmarked BMC Francistown In my view, this protects the financier and the person for slaughter of small stock which will be exported to borrowing the money. Remember that this is a revolving Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabians have already viewed fund, money should be returned so that others can be the facility and they are happy as they indicated. We funded as well. The only thing we can discuss is perhaps are not selling it to them as someone alluded, they will interventions we can undertake to speed up the ranch be leasing it to slaughter small stock. That is not all, ecology report or the period taken to give response to as I indicated, we have already held a discussion as a the people borrowing, should be quick. ministry partnering with Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Finance to come up with a plan on how we can He also talked about the issue of Keeper Identities resuscitate BMC. As I indicated, the most important and tags; we are reviewing to ensure that they are thing is I believe the problem is… compatible. I must admit that the domestic market MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Minister, is difficult because it is not easy to sell immediately Honourable Dr Tshabang is asking for clarification. even if you are a willing seller and you have a willing buyer. Domestic market in Botswana in terms of selling MR GARE: I am still talking. Really! How can you livestock is the only one which requires the engagement seek clarification whilst I am speaking, let me finish of the Police Service so this calls for us to rectify such first? I have now lost my timing; I did not even answer things. It should be easy. We should see how we can P.P.P. make the whole process easy for a Motswana to sell his/ HONOURABLE MEMBER: …(Inaudible)… her livestock quickly if there is a willing buyer. There are challenges such as the system being down while you MR GARE: You will get a chance Honourable have travelled from Moshupa to Kanye. You should be Tshabang. I was saying I believe the issue of BMC is able to sell your cattle as and when you want to sell it a symptom, it is not the core problem or the root cause and get your money to do your things. of the problem in the beef sector. I believe we should sort out the structural problems we identified from the Honourable Lesaso was talking about roads, I think beef sector. Once those things are sorted out, it is going infrastructure as I already mentioned was the concern to help for BMC to automatically be viable. Currently of every Honourable Member who was commenting. both these facilities require to slaughter 350 000 cattle He indicated that in terms of dairy, they have ranches; per year. We have about 1.5 million to 2 million cattle, we are ready and free to partner with you Honourable looking at the off take of 10 per cent annually it means Lesaso where possible, so that we can be able to supply 150, 000 to 200, 000, this throughput of both BMCs will this country with milk. Milk is one of the products we not be sufficient. We need to sort out these things before import in large quantities including its value chain of we can think that BMC can start operating in the same cheese, yoghurt and other products. If we were locally manner. These are things I believe the interventions we producing these products, it can help create employment are currently undertaking will assist in. and reduce the import bill. And to also reduce the risk of importing commodities because we are in turmoil when I think the issue of infrastructure was mentioned by those we are importing from did not produce enough. each and every Honourable Member that amenities He talked about the Serowe Milking Parlour which I to production areas are important. I will go back to think it will be better if we view it then we identify the the point I was making before I yielded for you P.P.P, problem and resuscitate it so that it can operate. The regarding how we are partnering with the Ministry of issue of Artificial Insemination (AI); I indicated that we Trade regarding the ranch ecology report. It is important are refurbishing our AI centres so that…

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MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Minister, there take the carcass to sell in their country. I mean in terms is a request from Honourable Tshabang and also from of lease, that is how it will be. We have not yet got to Honourable Brooks for clarification. how the contents of the lease will be like. It is still an intent to lease. MR GARE: Please give them a second each, when they go beyond that, cut them. The issue of the ranch ecology; I want you to understand me Honourable Member. I do not think it is an issue of MR CHAIRPERSON: You have heard him Honourable whether there is research per se. Let me say, CEDA has Members. something called portfolio or loan book. They assess the DR TSHABANG: Clarification. Thank you Mr loan book as an organisation and they can determine the Chairperson. Honourable Gare, I heard you say you are number of projects that fail, and the reasons why they going to lease Francistown Botswana Meat Commission failed. Let me also point out that sometimes cattle do not (BMC) for the goats that will be exported to Saudi perform because of challenges like grazing lands and so Arabia. So, does that mean the opportunity of cattle for on. You cannot neglect this and say poison bride’s bush the North is dead? Lastly, how will that lease be? Are is everywhere and that means that there is no need to do you giving it to the Arabians completely or do we have a research to determine if the grazing land is okay. Like control over it? Are we the ones who slaughter the goats, I was saying, it is not an issue of being lost Honourable and then sell the meat to them, or do they buy them alive Motaosane. It is an issue that I do not agree with when and slaughter them themselves? Thank you very much. it comes to delays. As a requirement, when I have 100 cattle, I should establish that the pasture there can MR BROOKS: Clarification. Thank you Mr accommodate 100 or 400 cattle. Sometimes you will Chairperson. I want to ask about the ranch ecologist find that the farm is spacious but it cannot accommodate if they carried out any investigations before they 400 cattle. I believe that when we say Batswana should introduced it? Failure to pay the money by farmers neglect this requirement and just get loans, in future who were given loans is because there is no intensive we are going to end up saying CEDA is repossessing investigation to analyse... that is why they ended up people’s things whereas the intention was not repossess bringing a ranch ecologist who protects Batswana this their things. much. Like I was saying, this money, they do not only lend MR MOTAOSANE: Clarification. Thank you Mr it to Honourable Gare. Honourable Gare has to borrow Chairperson. Honourable Minister, if you agree with the and pay it back. We should consider the risks that can issue of the ecology report, that means you are confusing prevent Honourable Gare from paying back the loan and us. Just be straightforward. This morning when we were take them out of the way, so that it can be easier for him debating the issue of Ministry of Trade, your junior to run a business. I think that we cannot neglect the issue Minister explained these things. He was surprised and to determine if the pasture is good for the livestock that wanted Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency is there. That is not being lost Honourable Member. I (CEDA) to get information from you. So when you put think that it is important to consider a situation like that. it like this Honourable Minister, it seems like you are Otherwise we are going to end up making trouble for disagreeing with your junior. I did not see this, from Batswana with those loans, and in future we will end up the long time that cattle have been reared Honourable looking for them in the streets or we will have no more Member. Please clarify that. I do not understand you money to borrow other people. there. Mr Chairperson, moving on, I am considering that time MR GARE: Thank you Mr Chairperson. The issue of is running out, I believe that many Honourable Members BMC Francistown, the way it is designed Honourable were talking about the same issues… Tshabang, it has a component of slaughtering goats and MR CHAIRPERSON: Minister, there is another cattle. It does not mean that when we use it to slaughter request from Honourable Healy for clarification. goats, there will be no opportunity to slaughter cattle. As I have indicated, it is an intent to lease which is MR GARE: Can I please respond to at least two subject to discussions. What I can verify to you is that, Members of Parliament (MPs) before I can yield for the facility is ours and they will need it to slaughter and him.

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MR CHAIRPERSON: Go ahead. Honourable Motaosane also said it should not be business as usual. I agree with him that it cannot be business as MR GARE: Honourable Lesedi was talking about usual but it is not like people are in Gaborone. In my BMC and the cordon fence which I think we have view, I think it is high time we involve the private sector already talked about. He also talked about the collection because if we want to produce food, and we have people centre and the day old chicks and I clearly explained that who can be able to apply insecticides and educate people we admit that there is challenge of vertical integration. on agriculture, I believe they are issues we should look As I indicated, I am not working alone, we are working into. We have young people roaming on the streets. with the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry Maybe we can see what we can do so that they can be on and other stakeholders. We once engaged Competition site and do extension work to help farmers to produce Authority to assist us. We are still in talks to see what more food. we can do about vertical integration, and discontinue it. Even on the issue of bucks you were right Honourable He talked about the reasons that CEDA and National Member. We will continue to figure out what we can do Development Bank (NDB) advance to reject applicants. so that it can be of use to Batswana. Honourable Member, I cannot comment a lot because these things, need to be looked at case by case. He You also talked about the issue of the service centre at talked about the issue of 150 hectares, which I think Serowe, which Honourable Member not so long ago was was guided by research. At the moment, it is necessary saying it was not constructed properly because people Honourable Member, to consider if 20 hectares is viable did not vote accordingly. Let me explain that what you to be funded or not. Those are some of the things that I said is not true. It was not built at the time when the think can be subjected to research. We should find a way Member of Parliament for Serowe South Constituency to conduct it. The issue of Keeper ID which Honourable was a member of Domkrag. It was Mrs Moitoi. It was Leuwe asked about; we are trying to synchronise so that not removed from the plan because people did not vote these things can go hand in hand. accordingly. It was removed because the place where it What Honourable Mmolotsi indicated on the issue of was supposed to be built, was not suitable for a service centre. Then when we were still looking for a place, we Saudi Arabia is just rumours. No, that is misleading had challenges of funds. We are committed to finding Batswana. There is no issue that has no truth. Like I a suitable place to build the service centre at Serowe often say, when you want to marry a woman, you do not South. see her on the street and come with her on a wedding gown. There are negotiations involved on how you are MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Minister, there is going to marry her. You just do not take her in a rush. yet another clarification by Honourable Thiite. So, we are also in negotiations on how we are going to sell our meat to Saudi Arabia. It does not mean out MR GARE: I am left with five minutes, my Budget will silence or not having signed any agreements, means we end up not being approved. I request to continue and were not telling the truth regarding what we are doing. maybe we can include questions without notice. You were talking about the issue of farm improvements; I I respond to the issue by His Honour the Vice President; said we are reviewing the Integrated Support Programme he indicated that he appreciates the targets that we for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) to see indicated in our report. Agriculture can help us in what we could do to assist the farmers. poverty eradication and eliminate hunger in Botswana. He also talked about the issues of cordon fences and I heard Honourable Leuwe’s comment; I believe he was value chains, which I agree with him on. Reports talking about infrastructure and so forth, and that the indicate that we import about P7.745 billion worth of service centres should not be white elephants. We are processed food. If we produced these imports locally, trying by all means Honourable Member to ensure that we could create jobs and that could also much decrease we make use of these things, so that they give us the this import bill. The issue of research and development desired results when it comes to our farming. is one that does not need to be discussed at length because it is a fact. He also talked about the issue of The issue of Integrated Support Programme for Arable vertical integration that we should assess it and see what Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) is delaying because we can do about it. consultation involves people back at the constituencies.

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It is important to engage them, so that we can hear how they think ISPAAD could best operate.

Honourable Members, I was not able to respond to all issues due to time constraints. Mr Chairperson, I therefore move that the sum of One Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety-One Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Ten Pula (P1 391 997 510.00) under Recurrent Estimates, and the sum of Nine Hundred and Seventy-Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand Pula (P978 500 000.00) under Development Estimates be approved and stand as part of the Schedule and Estimates. I thank you Mr Chairman.

MR CHAIRPERSON: Order! Order! Honourable Members, you are now going to vote.

CLERK:

MEMBER’S NAME AYE NO ABSTAIN ABSENT His Excellency Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi √ Honourable Kgotla Autlwetse √ Honourable Mpho Balopi √ Honourable Yandani Boko √ Honourable Sam Justice Brooks √ Honourable Buti Billy √ Honourable Dr Edwin Dikoloti √ Honourable Dr Dow Honourable Gare √ Honourable Dr Gobotswang √ Honourable Greeff √ Honourable Hikuama √ Honourable Kablay √ Honourable Kapinga √ Honourable Kekgonegile √ Honourable Keorapetse √ Honourable Kereng √ Honourable Kgafela √ Honourable Khama √ Honourable Dr Kwape √ Honourable Lesedi √ Honourable Lelatisitswe √ Honourable Lesaso √ Honourable Dr Letsholathebe √ Honourable Letsholo √ Honourable Leuwe √ Honourable Lucas √ Honourable Majaga √ Honourable Makwinja √ Honourable Manake √ Honourable Mangwegape-Healy √ Honourable Mathoothe √

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Honourable Dr Matsheka √ Honourable Mmolotsi √ Honourable Mmusi √ Honourable Moabi √ Honourable Moagi √ Honourable Moatlhodi √ Honourable Modukanele √ Honourable Mokgethi √ Honourable Molale √ Honourable Molao √ Honourable Molebatsi √ Honourable Monnakgotla √ Honourable Morwaeng √ Honourable Moswaane √ Honourable Motaosane √ Honourable Motsamai √ Honourable Mthimkhulu √ Honourable Mzwinila √ Honourable Nkawana √ Honourable Rakgare √ Honourable Ramogapi √ Honourable Reatile √ Honourable Regoeng √ Honourable Saleshando √ Honourable Segokgo √ Honourable Serame √ Honourable Shamukuni √ Honourable Thiite √ Honourable Dr Tshabang √ Honourable Tshere √ Honourable Tsogwane √

HONOURABLE MEMBER: Honourable Rakgare, you can withdraw that issue.

DR DOW: Honourable Speaker, aye. Why was I not called?

HONOURABLE MEMBER: Honourable Dow, you were called but you did not respond.

HONOURABLE MEMBER: Apparently when Skelemani is not here like this…

CLERK: Honourable Boko.

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Members, can you listen now.

MR BOKO: Aye!

HONOURABLE MEMBER: Honourable Balopi was called and it was said…

Hansard No 201 58 Tuesday 9th March, 2021 ORGANISATION 0500 - MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY Committee of Supply

MR CHAIRPERSON: Can you listen Honourable Members! Can you listen, she is starting again!

CLERK: Honourable Boko.

MR BOKO: Aye.

HONOURABLE MEMBER: No leave Honourable Boko out of it, he never votes twice.

CLERK: Honourable Kgafela.

HONOURABLE MEMBER: No VP is not addressing me properly.

HONOURABLE MEMBERS: …(Laughter!)…

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Members can you listen! Can you listen Honourable Members!

HONOURABLE MEMBER: You have not been here, we do not know where you have been; you are from leave.

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Members, can we listen.

HONOURABLE MEMBER: Can you mute the VP.

CLERK: Honourable Kgafela.

MR CHAIRPERSON: Honourable Kgafela, we can see you but we cannot hear you. Can you send a chat? Send your message through the chat.

HONOURABLE MEMBER: Sign language exists.

HONOURABLE MEMBER: He should raise the hand for ‘aye’, the right hand.

…Silence…

MR SPEAKER: Honourable Members, there are the results of your voting; Aye- 48, No- nil, Abstain- nil, Absent-15. That means the Ayes have it.

Question put and agreed to.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Order! Honourable Members, it is now 6 o’clock I shall now call upon the Leader of the House to move a Motion of adjournment.

MOTION

ADJOURNMENT

LEADER OF THE HOUSE (MR TSOGWANE): Thank you Mr Speaker. First of all, you should have reminded them of the procedure that Honourable Motsamai should always express interest to debate by adding his name to the list and stop blaming you. Whips are the ones who submit lists to you, I do not who is doing his job that side. When he forgets to do that, he then complains to you. I request Honourable Members to go and rest.

Question put and agreed to.

The Assembly accordingly adjourned at 6:00 p.m. until Wednesday 10th March, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.

ATTACHMENT FOR ORGANISATION 0500 - MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY

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Table 1: Recurrent budget performance as at 28th February 2021

Org Approved Budget Warranted Actual Unspent Expenditure code Department Provision Expenditure Balance (%) 0501 Headquarters 401,927,250 496,485,023 479,873,406 16,611,618 96.7,’m; ,’m; t4a1 S}”j Crop 236,537,680 226,787,512 207,341,926 19,445,586 91.0 Production

0504 Agriculture 96,438,380 93,299,264 91,469,260 1,830,004 98.0 Research 0507 Animal 140,791,860 131,792,501 122,076,860 9,715,640 92.6 Production 0509 Agricultural 36,089,500 34,887,017 31,916,805 2,970,212 91.5 Business Promotions

0510 Veterinary 452,185,930 434,383,168 408,167,742 26,215,426 94.0 Services 0511 Agricultural 23,835,630 22,824,685 19,470,052 3,354,633 85.0 Research Statistics and Policy Development

Grand 1,387,806,230 1,440,459,170 1,360,316,051 80,143,119 94.0 total

Table 2: Development expenditure performance as at 28th February 2021

Revised Actual Expenditure 2020/21 Expenditure Levels TARGET Budget (P) % % (P) VARIANCE NO Description % 1. Social Protection 1 024 900 000 782 583 140.63 76.36 100 -23.7 (ISPAAD, LIMID, ASSP, Livestock Subsidy and Strategic Grain Reserves) 2. Infrastructure 67 100 000 45 136 339.37 67.27 100 -32.73

3 Research and 30 000 000 30 000 000 100 100 0 Development 4. ITC 15 300 000 6 022 505.42 39.36 100 -60.64

TOTAL 1 137 300 000 863,741,985.42 78 100 -22 MOA DEV BUDGET

Hansard No 201 60 HANSARD RECORDERS Mr. T. Gaodumelwe, Mr T. Monakwe, Ms T. Kebonang HANSARD REPORTERS Mr M. Buti, Ms Z. Molemi, Mr J. Samunzala, Ms N. Selebogo, Ms A. Ramadi, Ms D. Thibedi, Ms G. Baotsi, Ms N. Mokoka

HANSARD EDITORS Ms K. Nyanga, Ms C. Chonga, Mr K. Goeme, Ms G. Phatedi, Ms B. Malokwane, Mr A. Mokopakgosi, Ms O. Nkatswe, Ms G. Lekopanye, Ms T. Mokhure, Ms B. Ratshipa HANSARD TRANSLATORS Ms B. Ntisetsang, Ms M. Sekao, Ms B. Mosinyi, Ms V. Nkwane, Ms N. Kerobale, Ms K. Motswakhumo, Ms T. Motsau, Ms O. Phesodi, Mr K. Setswe

LAYOUT DESIGNERS Mr B. B. Khumanego, Mr D. T. Batshegi, Mr K. Rebaisakae

61 Hansard No 201