Sunday Standard. 5 September 2022. by Obusitse Kologwe.

OLDM Walk generated since 2002.

Debswana- Orapa Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mine (OLDM) Annual General Manager’s charity walk has raised P6.9 million (€ 528,630) since its inception in 2002. This is according to Debswana Corporate Communication Manager Agatha Sejoe.

On Saturday OLDM held its annual General Manager’s 10km and 20 km walk which attracted over 1 500 participants and various sponsors. The annual General Manager’s Walk is part of Debswana’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) and it seeks to raise awareness of the socio-economic needs of the Boteti Sub District, raise money towards deserving community focused interventions and to improve employee wellness by encouraging a balanced, active and health lifestyle.

Sejoe said since its inception 17 years ago the Charity Walk has contributed immensely to the development story of Boteti Sub District.

“Major projects that have resulted from this initiative include the psycho-social support project for orphans and vulnerable children in the Boteti Sub District. Further, the walk has sponsored the construction of eight houses for less priviledged families at Xere, Khwee, Mokubilo, Mosu, Kedia, Mmea, Letlhakane and Mmatshumo at a cost of P1.2 million,” she said. End of quotation.

Several other projects have been completed sponsored, or partly, with this money.

Second travel update.

An airplane ticket for the trip to Botswana from April 10 to May 25, 2022 was purchased. Then a message came that one of the projects was canceled; I heard nothing more about another project. I was welcome at the third project. However, the description of what this organization had already set up remained very vague. From previous contacts with them I suspect that they hoped to get money and/or goods and that after I left the project would stall. A new project could have been to explore the living conditions of the San and other minority groups in two cities. We wondered if it was worth leaving Henk (husband) alone with our Downs son. Henk could get Corona and therefore not be able to take care of our son. It will be at least 3-5 days before I get back. Also, my worn knee could function reasonably well for a long time, but maybe not. I will be 80 years old in January. I can handle stress less and less.

I am sorry that supporting the San, especially the children, has to stop now. Actually, staying twice three months a year would have been more effective. But this was not possible because of our son.

The investigation of whether there is still a need to provide financial development aid continues. The website would be too small for reports of corruption. This happens in so many countries that it would be easier to find out where it isn't happening and put those countries on the SEMK website as an example.

All in all, there are more reasons to stay at home than to go to Botswana.

Eswatini. Swaziland News. By Zweli Martin Dlamini. 19 July 2022.

MBABANE: The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Extraordinary Summit on eSwatini political crisis has been postponed again after King Mswati avoided to appear before the regional body that facilitates a political dialogue.

Mswati, an absolute Monarch is currently unleashing his police and soldiers to shoot and kill dozens of civilians merely for demanding democratic reforms. Read more

https://www.swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=2780

I thought we were done with killing for the time being and wanted to return to camp and rest. I was suffering from shock and felt that I must lie down. But this was not the end. Buno was not yet satisfied. He challenged Tuys to shoot at running targets! Tuys tried to talk him out of the idea and suggested that they had better go and get some gin. But Buno would not be put off.

He led the way to a point a short distance from the kraal, where there were clumps of bushes and long grass. Warriors were made to dodge in and out of these bushes while their king potted them. This required much better shooting, and the men turned and twisted in and out of the brush like mad things. Buno found that he could not kill enough to satisfy his brutish desire and soon tired of the "sport." Tuys, however, had to take his turn, and he was able to miss even more frequently than before. Sick as I felt, I was rather amused at Tuys missing these poor savages. I have often seen him stop an antelope in full flight, and we have a saying that "only a bullet travels faster than a springbok."

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This happened about 150 years ago. One would expect that the current king Mswati III would have moved with the times and would treat his subjects humanely and with respect. Several reports in Swaziland News indicate that this king still orders the killing of his people, at this moment of time because they disagree with him about his way of ruling. Unfortunately, the pro-democrats do not agree on which form of democracy ought to be choosen. Should Swaziland become a republic or a constitutional monarchy?