Plant pepper to chase elephants VP
06 February, 2008

MAUN - Komana residents have been advised to try other means of chasing away elephants from their village and farms.

Addressing residents at the village Vice President Seretse Khama Ian Khama said one other option of chasing elephants away was to plough pepper in their fields.

That measure, he said was reported to be working in places where it was practiced. General Khama was in Komana to greet residents after holding a kgotla meeting in Nxaraga. The residents complained about elephants which threaten their lives and destroy fields.

They also suggested that the buffalo fence be moved far away from the village to reserve more land for residents.

Nxaraga and Tsutsubega residents had also raised a similar complaint during the vice presidentss meeting in their villages The Vice President told them that government would look into the issue, adding that his fear was that even if it was moved back, in a few years people would want it to be pushed back once more.

The fence was constructed primarily to prevent buffalo mixing with cattle and spreading foot and mouth (FMD).

The Vice President said the government intended to electrify the fence. The residents had also asked to be excused from paying school fees since Ngami had been hit by FMD.

Responding to that , he said social workers were there to assess cases adding that only those who did not have the means will be excused from paying. BOPA