Mmegi/The Reporter (Botswana) - AAGM articles from December 2009

Mmegi/The Reporter (Botswana) - AAGM archives from December 2009

The Plight of a Mentally Retarded Man.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Isaac Pinielo The life of Joel Pono of Area 'S' location in Francistown is not an ordinary one. He lives in a world of his own, which is characterised by eccentricity - a life of lunacy and mental retardation. If you visit the Area...

2009's Finest and the Disgraced.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Mqondisi Dube It has been a year characterised by intermittent moments of brilliance. From Santos winning the Coca-Cola Cup, Gaborone United winning the be MOBILE Premier League, the Bowls team qualifying for the 2010 World...

Gunners Close Year on a High.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Chippa Legodimo Extension Gunners gave their supporters an early Christmas present with a well deserved 3-0 victory against visiting ECCO City Green in Lobatse on Saturday. Two goals from on loan midfielder Monageng 'Mnike' Thaele,...

Who Will Be Father Christmas?
December 21, 2009... Byline: Mqondisi Dube The epic be MOBILE Premier League encounter between log leaders, Township Rollers and Mochudi Centre Chiefs at the UB Stadium on Wednesday would bring the curtain down on an eventful season thus far. Although the...

2009 Shining and Dim Stars.
December 21, 2009... The Reds made a good start to the season and never looked back losing only one game in that season against BDF XI in the first round. They remain one of the top performers of this year if not the best. They beat Chiefs 1-0 in the last game to...

Billy Vows to Back New Mayor.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Patricia Maganu Former Mayor Buti Honest Billy has vowed to support the new mayor Shadrack Nyeku in his attempts to improve service delivery. He was responding to the mayor's speech at the just-ended full council meeting that ended...

Games Declared a Success.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Frederick Kebadiretse The second edition of the Botswana Games, which ended on Saturday have been declared a success. Speaking at a press briefing at the end of he games on Saturday, Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC)...

BDP Pays Lip-Service to Citizen Empowerment.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Moeti Mohwasa We are writing this article at a time when the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has been boasting of having overseen a number of big infrastructural projects since independence in 1966. It is regrettable and...

Why Should Foreigners Dominate Tourism Sector?
December 21, 2009... Byline: Lekopanye Mooketsi Members of Parliament (MPs) have decried that Batswana are marginalised in the tourism industry. Debating the Tourism Bill before Parliament adjourned for Christmas last week, the legislators said foreigners own...

Congestions Must Go, FCC Tells DRTS.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Patricia Maganu The Francistown City Council (FCC) wants the Department of Road, Transport and Safety (DRTS) to find ways to solve the perennial congestions at its offices in Francistown. A motion about the congestion was posed in...

Chinese Offer to Build Police Station to Combat Crime.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Frederick Kebadiretse The Chinese community in Gaborone has volunteered to build a police post in the Block Three industrial areas as their effort to help the police combat crime in that area. The area, which hosts a lot of...

MPs Go on Christmas Recess With Nothing to Celebrate.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Bame Piet Members of Parliament (MPs) closed business for Christmas last Friday with nothing to celebrate because not a single private member's motion was passed since the beginning of the 10th Parliament last month. The motion...

Church Still in Deep Shock After Pastors Drown.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Lekopanye Mooketsi St John's Apostolic Faith Mission church members in Metsimotlhabe are still reeling from a tragic incident when three of the church elders perished. The three church elders - Leonard Barakanye, Noko Letsweletse...

Police Lament Lack of Shelters for Abused Women.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Patricia Maganu Senior Superintendent Manurse Rakgole of the Botswana Police says that the police in the North have a difficult time helping victims of abuse as far as shelter is concerned. She was speaking at a seminar hosted by...

BMWU Wants Tlhagale Out.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Onalenna Modikwa Some members of the Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) are calling on General Secretary Jack Tlhagale to resign for failing to deliver. Disgruntled members close to Tlhagale, who preferred anonymity, are accusing...

Bob Slashes Bank Rate Again.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Brian Benza The Bank of Botswana (BoB) on Friday slashed the bank rate by another one percent, bringing the cumulative interest rate cut to 500 basis points in 2009. This follows last week's announcement by the Central Statistics...

Zebras Move Up Fifa Rankings.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Mqondisi Dube The Zebras made three leaps in the latest FIFA rankings released on Wednesday. The national team is now ranked 118 in the World, up from last month's 121 despite being inactive in November. The Zebras also moved three...

Police Chopper Gives Crime War New Sting.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Calistus Kolantsho Botswana police arrested 160 people during Operation Matlhagolatsela held on December 14-15. Selebi-Phikwe Police Station Commander, Superintendent Victor Nlebesi told Monitor that the operation was special...

Botswana Must Brace Itself For World Cup.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Rampholo Molefhe June 14 next year would have been the appropriate time for the commemoration of the South African Defence Force (ZDF) raid on Gaborone in which two Batswana women were killed. Prince Mampane was permanently injured...

Simakane Among Top 10 Businesswomen.
December 21, 2009... Byline: Baboki Kayawe The top 10 finalists for the second Empretec Women in Business Awards 2010 have been announced and among them is Joy Simakane, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and owner of Extramile Express. Empretec is a training...

Bye-Bye 2009 Hello 2010.
December 21, 2009... The year 2009 has come and gone. It was a good year for some and a bad one for others. It was a year characterised by many developments locally, regionally and internationally. This year recorded many extra-judicial killings and this made...

Our Heritage.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Sandy Grant Last week the National Assembly was debating the new Tourism Bill and amongst the numerous contributions was one by Tselang Masisi, which caught my attention. He remarked 'we have very unique things in Botswana and as...

Five More Choppies Supermarkets Coming Up.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Martin Nyirenda Choppies Group chairman Faruk Ishmael has said that after the recent opening of a store in Pitsane, five new supermarkets are coming up across the country. In the next few months, Choppies intends to open more...

Now BNF Sues Modubule, Tafa.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Isaiah Morewagae The war between Botswana National Front (BNF) and its expelled members - Nehemiah Modubule and Dr Elmon Tafa - is far from over as the party has now instituted legal action against the duo. BNF has already served...

Crisis as KBL Halts Coca-Cola Production.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Ephraim Keoreng "I just can't have a meal without my Coke. The feeling is so refreshing, especially after I have had a hot chilli meal," says Segametsi Mororisi, a resident in Block 5, Gaborone. Samuel Kgaosi says that during the...

Mugabe Receives Kokorwe Credentials.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Isaiah Morewagae Botswana's new ambassador to Zimbabwe and former Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Gladys Kokorwe, presented her credentials to Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe in Harare last Thursday. The former Member of...

Of Khama's Anti-Liquor Campaign, His Cronies and the Overindulging Country.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Gasebalwe Seretse Last year, President Ian Khama intensified his war against drinking by slapping a punitive levy on liquor and the introduction of a raft of other anti-alcohol measures. But currently the campaign sounds against...

BTA Issues Simcard Registration Warning.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Maranyane Ngwanaamotho The Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA) has warned that it will not extend the deadline for the registration of mobile phone simcards. BTA senior manager, Aron Nyelesi said yesterday that those who...

Pay-Cheque Disappears From Phikwe Council.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Calistus Kolantsho A P27,000 cheque issued to a company is said to have disappeared from one of the Selebi-Phikwe Town Council offices. The council's senior public relations officer, Ogomoditse Gaokgethelwe, said yesterday that the...

Old Passport to Be Phased Out in 2011.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Ephraim Keoreng The current Botswana passport will be in use till December 2011 when the government will start to replace them with the recently introduced e-passport. "After 2011, all applicants will be issued with the new...

Zeus to Launch the Flipside.
December 17, 2009... After years of making a buzz in the local, regional and continental hip hop scene, recent Channel O Award winner Game "Zeus" Bantsi is finally launching his latest album The Flipside, a follow up album to the well received Freshly Baked. Fans...

Perseverance, Diligence Pay for Gifted Radinoga.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Gasebalwe Seretse If there is one artist in the country who has proven that perseverance and diligence pay, it is Masilonyana Radinoga. The artist from Serowe has gone through many adversities that would have left the faint-hearted...

Country Games Briefs.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Nelson Direng Gaborone boys trampled Chobe 116-9 in a Botswana Games Basketball Pool A match at the University of Botswana (UB) on Tuesday. Gaborone has won all its games after beating South East, Lobatse and Southern. They head the...

BTV Undaunted by High Afcon Broadcasting Costs.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Mqondisi Dube The state-owned Botswana Television (Btv) has said that it intends to broadcast the Orange Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) that kick-offs in Angola on January 10 despite the prohibitive costs So far, reports indicate...

Let Us Go Out and Help.
December 17, 2009... It is that time of the year again. To some this is the silly season. It is the festive season. Many of us will be travelling to all sorts of destinations either to cool off or just to be with friends, relatives and those that we love. During...

Kwelagobe Brings Se-Puma to Moleps.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Bame Piet Former prison warder and Molepolole resident Gaotlhobogwe Kwelagobe has brought South African actor Peter Se-Puma aka Miles Vilakazi of popular soapie Rhythm City aired on etv every evening. Kwelagobe, who is now retired,...

Union Rejects High Flyers.
December 17, 2009... Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) has expressed frustration and disbelief at the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) decision to select some government employees and dub them Botswana's next top flyers without consulting with...

Cabinet Declaration of Assets to Khama is Futile.
December 17, 2009... Byline: Tshireletso Motlogelwa The declaration of assets and liabilities by Cabinet ministers to the President does not serve any public good, according to observers. Government recently announced that a new system has been put in place to...

Sable Mining Eyes Coal.
December 16, 2009... Botswana is among four Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries set to benefit from a cash raising placement by Sable Mining for coal mining. Aim-listed resources investment company Sable Mining Africa, says it has...

Media is a Partner in the Fight Against Crime.
December 16, 2009... olice Commissioner Thebeyame Tsimako must be hailed for holding a rare media briefing last week. This is an act worthy of recognition and praise. All leaders of important institutions in the country should copy from Tsimako. The commander of...

CIC Energy Defers Some Work At Mmamabula.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Brian Benza The promoters of the Mmamabula Energy Project, CIC Energy have finally succumbed to the chaos in the South Africa energy sector and deferred some of the projects that were already running. In a statement released this...

Molotsi Breaks Ranks With BDP MPs.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Bame Piet Wynter Mmolotsi of Francistown West became the only MP from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) yesterday to support a motion by Lobatse legislator, Nehemiah Modubule, to amend the Statistics Bill. After several...

The Faded Beauty of Tati River.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Ndingililo Gaoswediwe Once upon a time, in a quiet and peaceful land on the banks of a beautiful Tati River, lived a people who had come from different parts of the country to start life in a new place. Children played games and...

BDF Soldiers Celebrate 20 Years of Service.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Calistus Kolantsho Botswana Defence Force (BDF) soldiers have been advised to make their families part of the organisation. Speaking during the 20th anniversary of Intake 34 at Eastern Military Garrison (EMG) over the weekend, the...

No More Black for Limkokwing Lecturers.
December 16, 2009... Long after Limkokwing lecturers complained about black clothes they compulsorily wear to work, staff union and management have finally agreed that there will be no uniform requirement for employees of the university college. However,...

Ineffective Citizens Communication Threatens Economic Growth.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Baboki Kayawe Botswana's economic growth faces the challenge of citizens who cannot express their thoughts freely and effectively, a university lecturer has said. Log Raditlhokwa of the University of Botswana (UB) told a four-day...

Lemmenyane Finally Joins Chiefs.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Boitumelo Khutsafalo Goalkeeper, Barolong 'Toldo' Lemmenyane has joined Mochudi Centre Chiefs from Township Rollers, ending months of feuding between the two rival clubs. Rollers and Chiefs confirmed yesterday that a deal has been...

Foreign Strikers Dominate Green Boot Race.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Mqondisi Dube Uniao Flamengo Santos' unheralded striker, Farisai Nyamunamwendo has shot to the top of the be MOBILE Premier League goal scorer's charts after grabbing a hat-trick against Notwane on Sunday. He is tied on 10 goals...

Inclement Weather Mars Start of Games.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Mosah Mokganedi The start of the second edition of the biennial Botswana Games in Gaborone was marred by heavy rains on Sunday forcing some of the activities to be delayed or postponed due to waterlogged pitches. The games' general...

Jozi Victims Vow to Revolutionise Local Dance.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Nelson Direng Jozi Victims, a young but determined local dance group, is determined to revolutionise the dance industry in Botswana. The group consists of five active members between the ages of 17 and 21, being Kagiso "Stringo"...

Merafhe to Be Put to the Test.
December 16, 2009... Byline: Ryder Gabathuse Vice President Mompati Merafhe's conflict resolution abilities will be put to the test early next year when he leads a delegation to pacify the volatile Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) ranks in the Francistown region....

Govt Reporters Told to Put Up Or Shut Up?
December 16, 2009... Byline: Bame Piet Government reporters have been warned that they should not think of themselves as reporters but just public servants or information officers if they want to remain in their jobs. It is said that Minister for Presidential...

Police Boss Says Gun Crime is One the Rise.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Ephraim Keoreng The Commissioner of Police, Thebeyame Tsimako says the use of illegal arms in criminal activities has increased in Botswana. In a report released recently, he says the development calls for a review of penalties...

SPTC Withdraws Mayoral Poll Re-Run Motion.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Onalenna Modikwa Selebi-Phikwe Town Council (SPTC) has withdrawn a motion that declared the mayoral and deputy mayoral elections null and void and called for a re-run of the elections. The motion was tabled by councillor Godfrey...

Competition Bill Goes for Second Reading.
December 10, 2009... The Minister of Trade and Industry, Baledzi Gaolathe presented the Competition Bill for second reading yesterday in Parliament yesterday. The main objective of the proposed law is to regulate competition between firms as well as to establish...

Security Agent Threatens Mmegi Photojournalist.
December 10, 2009... As Mmegi photojournalist Kabo Mpaetona prepared to take a shot of the scene where security agents suspected of being the Directorate of Intelligence Services (DIS) officers shot a man yesterday, an officer in dark glasses attempted to grab his...

Bathoen II's Statue Arrives Home.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Gasebalwe Seretse The bronze statue of the late Kgosi Bathoen II of the Bangwaketse arrived in Kanye yesterday. The P550,000 statue was made by one of the leading sculptors in the country, Masilonyana Radinoga. A member of the...

Passion Killings Claim 82 Women, Seven Males.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Bame Piet and Ephraim Keoreng Passion killings that have gripped Botswana in recent years have claimed 89 lives - 82 women and seven men - since the beginning of the year. Most of the murders occur when the other party wants to...

Mothusi's Appeal Case Goes Missing.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Bame Piet A case in which lawyer Lyndon Mothusi is appealing a two-year sentence he received almost two years ago is lost somewhere between the Village Magistrates' Court and the High Court in Lobatse. The attorney representing...

BDP Builds House for Family of Accident Victim.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Isaac Pinielo The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in Serowe has resolved to build a house for the family of a 21-year-old woman who died in a car accident while taking part in the party's motorcade on the eve of the October 16 general...

GU, Santos Ke Nako.
December 10, 2009... CAF has thrown the challenge to Botswana's representatives in the continental champions league and Confederations Cup, Gaborone United and Uniao Flamengo Santos respectively. The draw for CAF club competitions was made on Tuesday and it was...

Did Kutlwano Use an Ineligible Player?
December 10, 2009... Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB) is investigating Kutlwano for allegedly using an ineligible player in the just ended Zone VI Club championships in Durban, South Africa. South African side, Liberte who lost to Kutlwano in the...

Tough African Draw for GU, Santos.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Mqondisi Dube Gaborone United (GU) and debutants Uniao Flamengo Santos face a tough challenge in their bid to progress in African club competitions after they were drawn against seasoned sides yesterday. GU have been pitted against...

Imara Releases Poor Results.
December 10, 2009... Diversified financial concern, Imara Holdings Limited, has released a disappointing set of half-year results to October 31, 2009 in which revenue dropped by 17.0 percent to P51.1m. Profit after tax contracted by 92.3 percent to P388.2m...

Tshepo Tshola for Gabz FM Grand Finale.
December 10, 2009... The grand finale to the Gabz FM 10th anniversary celebrations will culminate with a mother of all shows at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) grounds on Saturday. The concert will be featuring South African music giants such...

Security Agents Kill Another One.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Tshireletso Motlogelwa and Bame Piet Security agents have allegedly shot another man, this time in broad daylight at noon yesterday. The shooting occurred in a precinct of Gaborone, Block 3 Industrial Estate. According to an...

Bedia to Traverse the World Promoting Global Expo.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Baboki Kayawe The Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA) will appoint agents to deal specifically with its prestigious annual exhibition Global Expo in Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Japan, Korea and Malaysia in...

Make-Or-Break for Young Zebras.
December 10, 2009... Byline: Tshepo Molwane The Young Zebras meet Lesotho in a do-or-die Group C match in the Metropolitan COSAFA Under-20 Championships at the Eldorado Park in Johannesburg tomorrow. Kick-off is 4.30pm. The Young Zebras have to win the game by...

Kwaito Maestro Tries His Hand at House Music.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe Kenny Makhenzo is famous for producing Mapetal's Phan'z Phezulu album, as well as Skazo and one of Vee's albums. This week however the X3 Mix studio man is releasing a house album, Cotton Candy, featuring a...

BFA Reacts to Non-Payment of Players' Allowances.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Lekopanye Mooketsi Botswana Football Association (BFA) president David Fani has said that it is unfortunate the government has not fulfilled its promise to pay allowances to players in the Premier League and the First Division. He...

Mochudi Studio Dishes Out Makoya.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe Mochudi may not be a town particularly known for churning out hot kwaito vibes. However in Question Mark, a little known kwaito group, the sounds are as hair-raising as any hot kwaito menu from the heart of...

Tibone Praises BDC for Service Delivery.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Nelson Direng In the first of seven familiarisation tours of parastatals that fall under his brief, the Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Charles Tibone, said on Tuesday that he is impressed with the way the...

Tennis Star Tipped to Qualify for Olympics.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Thato Kala Local players have tipped visiting South African table tennis ace, Zodwa Maphanga to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Maphanga was in the country over the weekend and played against some of Botswana's best...

Hana Discovers More Copper in Ghanzi.
December 9, 2009... Hana Mining has announced completion of 14 new RC drill holes at its Ghanzi copper-silver project in Botswana which extends total mineralisation in the Company's current focus area, Banana zone. During an interview with Mineweb, Hana Mining...

Khama Must Declare His Assets.
December 9, 2009... We are shocked to hear that Cabinet Ministers have been attempting to placate their boss, President Ian Khama, this week. We learn that they have been ordered, perhaps cajoled, to declare their assets, liabilities and interests. In other...

Convention Reaffirms Fight Against Anti-Personnel Mines.
December 9, 2009... The Head of Botswana Delegation based in Geneva, Rhee Hetanang, has revealed that Botswana has never produced, nor used, nor stockpiled anti-personnel mines. Hetanang was giving his statement at the just ended summit held at Cartagena,...

Deluge Wreaks Havoc in Mahalapye.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Onalenna Modikwa Residents of Mahalapye village in the Central District are still reeling in pain and misery after their houses were destroyed in a fierce storm on Saturday night. When a Mmegi team toured the village, it was...

CSO to Become Autonomous Before Next Budget.
December 9, 2009... The Central Statistic Office will be transformed into an autonomous organisation before the beginning of the 2010/11 budget, Parliament has heard. But the CSO will continue with some of its duties such as the conduct of national population...

EU Calls for More Aid for Country.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Ephraim Keoreng A European Parliament (EU) delegation has decried the fact that although Botswana is classified as a middle-income country, almost 30 percent of the population is living below the poverty datum line of $1.25 a day. ...

Ispaad Has Improved Cereal Production - De Graaf.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Isaiah Morewagae Over P210 million was spent on the Integrated Support Programme for Arable Agriculture Development (ISPAAD) during the 2008/2009 cropping season, Parliament has heard. The Minister of Agriculture (MoA), Christian...

Zimbabwean Torture Goes on Display.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe An exhibition on human rights violations in Zimbabwe started running in Gaborone on Monday under the aegis of the Botswana Civil Society Solidarity Coalition for Zimbabwe (BOCISCOZ) and Ditshwanelo, the Botswana...

Marina Opens New Station for Clients.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Maranyane Ngwanaamotho Princess Marina Hospital recently launched a new campaign named 'a nka go thusa' to improve service delivery. The campaign is meant mainly to assist customers by giving them directions and explaining procedures....

Kutlwano Make Zone Vi History.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Mosah Mokganedi History was made on Sunday when Kutlwano teams from Botswana made a clean sweep of Zone VI Volleyball Club Championships. Kutlwano men and women clubs became regional champions after beating South African sides in...

Disappointed Merafhe Slams BDP MPs.
December 9, 2009... Byline: Lekopanye Mooketsi Vice President Mompati Merafhe closed a debate on the State of the Nation Address yesterday by warning ruling party MPs that Parliament is not a place for venting anger and frustration. He berated some...