HELPLESS: Matshediso Tshekisang watches her house reduced to rubble
Five families made homeless in squatter demolitions
Five families were this week left in the cold in Ramaphatle squatter camp after government forced people out of their homes at gunpoint before demolishing their houses. Scores of people in the Kweneng district settlement could be seen huddled together around piles of possessions in the midst of rubles of what was their homes as they pondered their bleak future on Wednesday.
One of the hopeless victims of Ramaphatle’s operation is Tinki Sebitolo, a 41-year old father of six, whose 2 bedroomed house which he shared with his extended family of 19 people was among the demolished.
On Tuesday evening, a day after the demolition,the girls in the Sebitolo family slept inside the walls of a damaged house to keep away the cold while the boys spent the night by the fire outside.
“The older boys sleep outside and I sleep behind the walls with my partner, the girls and the younger children. I am afraid the children, some of them younger than five years old are at risk of catching pneumonia because of the cold,” Sebitolo added.
Another affected family was the Tshekisang family, which is orphaned. One of the orphans, 21- year-old Matshediso Tshekisang sobbed uncontrollably at the prospect of spending nights out in the cold with her two-year old baby.
“ Why would government want to kill us like this? No child can survive this winter cold if they are made to spend a night outside,” Tshekisang lamented.
Although the Land Board has insisted that they demolished Ramaphatle settlement because the people were illegally occupying farm land, the village leadership has argued otherwise.
Kgosi Letlole Thobega of Mmankgodi village under which Ramaphatle falls, expressed disappointment at the way government dealt with the people. He said: “The powers that we have as traditional rulers to allocate land to the people have been undermined. Ramaphatle has been in existence for many years before the introduction of the Land board. People have lived on this land for more than two or three centuries, so how can these families be said to be illegal when they have always lived here?” Kgosi Thobega asked rhetorically.
Another concerned leader, Mmankgodi North Councillor, Ofentse Mafoko said:“I am equally shocked that the people’s homes have been demolished. These same people have been waiting to be given certificates for their land by the landbord for years and now I don’t understand how they ended up being evicted at gun point today.”
demolision
Totally and unacceptable and very disgraceful the behaviour of some in authority towards others
“the girls in the Sebitolo family slept inside the walls of a damaged house to keep away the cold while the boys spent the night by the fire outside.”
Would those in authority like to be forced to sleep the way those who have had they homes demolised without alternative shelter been given????
“I don’t understand how they ended up being evicted at gun point today.”
They seem to be treated like criminals being confronted at gun point – shocking shocking and very disgraceful
Will it be possible for the Voice (the person who wrote this article) to contact an organisation like the Red Cross to assist those that do not have a roof over their heads
“Another affected family was the Tshekisang family, which is orphaned. One of the orphans, 21- year-old Matshediso Tshekisang sobbed uncontrollably at the prospect of spending nights out in the cold with her two-year old baby”
DISGRACEFUL DISGRACEFUL DISGRACEFUL TURNING A MOTHER WITH A TWO YEAR OLD INTO THE COLD – SHOCKING SHOCKING
If anyone OUT THERE can assist those that have had they HOMES DEMOLISHED PLEASE PICK UP THE PHONE AND SPEAK TO THE VOICE AND TELL THEM HOW YOU CAN ASSIST.
If you can assist with warm clothing for all and blankets – PLEASE PICK UP THE PHONE
If you can assist with TENTS -PLEASE PICK UP THE PHONE
If you can assist with Food – PLEASE PICK UP THE PHONE
If you can assist with medicine – PLEASE PICK UP THE PHONE
“. I am afraid the children, some of them younger than five years old are at risk of catching pneumonia because of the cold,” Sebitolo added.”
PLEASE PLEASE DO COME FORWARD AND ASSIST THOSE WHOSE HOMES HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED
Daniel 5: verse 1-35. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin. Modimo o re rata rotlhe
“These same people have been waiting to be given certificates for their land by the landbord for years and now I don’t understand how they ended up being evicted at gun point today.”
No one in their sane mind would do this even to those who are there illegally – one has to find a way with dealing with those who are there illegally in a professional and SANE way
Why are they being dealt with at GUN POINT??
Sounds like some people in authority are TRIGGER HAPPY
Childrens organisations including those that deal with disadvantaged people should be very Vocal about what has happened they all seem to be SILENT on this issue
“Although the Land Board has insisted that they demolished Ramaphatle settlement because the people were illegally occupying farm land, the village leadership has argued otherwise.
The powers that we have as traditional rulers to allocate land to the people have been undermined”
There seem to be people in authority completely IGNORING THE TRADITIONAL RULERS – WHY??? VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND SHAMEFUL they way people in authority have gone about this
No care in the world for the CHILDREN who have been affected. If i was running an organisation dealing with Children i would be blowing my top and asking questions and forcing someone to take someone to task
and that also goes if i was running an organisation for “Disadvantaged” people I would do the same – blow my top, ask questions and force someone to take someone to task over this issue
Is this the way authorities deal with lifting people out of poverty.
Only a short while ago the day of the African Child was celebrated and this is the senseless and inhuman way people in authority are celebrating it turning children out into the freezing cold
Who ever did this better not head a charitable organisation or do any charitable work i mean what i say
This is not the FIRST TIME people in disadvantaged positions are left homeless sometime back there was an incident where people were left HOMELESS IN THE POURING RAIN, WOMEN, CHILDREN while those who carry out this INHUMAN AND DEGRADING ACT go back to their COMFORTABLE HOMES
hai iyoo ish ish yerr yerr so then people in Bots can be homeless like these LOL these country needs serious prayers.
Mme gone is it fair gore rona re bolawe rent, vat, income tax while there are some people who are just taking breathing space mo botswana, ba ipha ditsha mahala, ba emetse go neelwa sengwe le sengwe ke goromente. We can bet, one of their relatives is living a good life and ba gana go nna le ene bare o rata dilo. sometimes i support govt
If people are driven by Greed Arrogance and hostility- if such an enviornment exists do you think your wealthy relatives will take care of you?- and what makes matters worse people do not make an effort to just communicate with each other – yes to talk with each other and find out which is the best way to reslove the matter before this took place – no because they do not EMPATHISE WITH ANYONE
““The powers that we have as traditional rulers to allocate land to the people have been undermined”
They just totally IGNORE those that they should be getting on board- perhaps because some of the people in authority probably just frown at them and look down on them.
The authorities should have tried to resolve the matter in a Civilised manner which seems to be unknown to some in authority
Someone who is EMPATHETIC has the ability to share another person’s feelings or emotions as if they were their own–doubt very much the person/s who did this to those whose homes were demolished had any empathy at all
The damage has been done.
People in authority will be trying to wipe their personal slate clean because they are either clammering for positions
My heart goes out to those whose homes were demolished no one no one in their right senses would have done this
“We can bet, one of their relatives is living a good life”
Can people rely on family these days what happened to a lady aged 62 years- she had her home demolished by her daughter in law and her son seemed not to care about her and outsiders just looked on while the house was being demolished ??
“These same people have been waiting to be given certificates for their land by the landbord for years and now I don’t understand how they ended up being evicted at gun point today.”
This just tells you something is not right at all – probably they are some lazy people working at this board laying their eggs on the certificates waiting for them to hatch
Cannot get over that people were evicted at GUNPOINT cannot get over this at all but it will haunt some people. Looks like if they are not killing unarmed criminals they are doing this to ordinary people
“Kgosi Letlole Thobega of Mmankgodi village under which Ramaphatle falls, expressed disappointment at the way government dealt with the people”
Why cannnot another Chief communicate with another Chief? what is the problem if one says they are Chiefs surely they should learn to speak with other Traditional Leaders in a SANE WAY or is this Chief that represents these people considered inferior to this person?????
another word that comes into mind is Corrupt people in authority
Look at the way they are treating the Barsarwa- doing with them as they please to them with no due respect
If someone else would do this to the person at the top who calls themselve a chief and his people he would not like it one bit
the voice pliz bring the atilce of that boy who payed himself ka ngwana wa boso.
@ cheerful. Ngwanaka itshware. o bua bobe, o a balabala. do u want to disappear the kalafatis way?
should that be taken as a threat?
Its not a threat, its a promise. ssshh! o a tshosa modumo nnaka.