Research conducted by the Kweneng South East Administrator at the Constituency Office shows that the area around Mogoditshane is growing much faster than the estimates of the Statistics Office and the Planners.
Statistics indicate that Mmopane Village, just a few kilometres from Mogoditshane along the Molepolole Road, has had its population rising by more than 100 percent -from 6 429, according to 2001 statistics to 15 450, in the 2011 statistics. It was projected to grow by 3 percent, about 8 000 by 2016.
“Mmopane qualifies to be head of a constituency as it includes Mmopane Block 1 and there is still going to be a population boom, given that opposite Mmopane Block 1 there is Block 4 whose developments have been funded for this financial year,” said Moemedi Mokgachane, the Senior Administration Researcher who did the research. “Morope has also had its layout done and is just awaiting funding. The area is wider than Block 1, which has more than 3 000 residential plots. Morope might end up with more than four thousand plots.”
He and his team propose that the region, whose boundary would cover Supa Save robots up to Mmakanke turn off then Sasakwe Hills up to Bakgatla/Bakwena tribal boundaries, be a single constituency to be called Kweneng South East South.
The constituency will consist of Mmopane, which will comprise Mogoditshane North, BDF Camp, Ledumadumane, Mogoditshane Block 10 (or Morope) Mmopane Block 1, all of whose population is approximately 5,500.
This would be followed by Gaphatshwa, comprising of Dintorokong, BHC houses, Serameng, Ntshugaditsebe and Metsimotlhabe Block 3, whose population is in the region of 2,700.
This will also be followed by Mmakanke, Gakutwe, Letlhakane, Sasakwe and Mononyane, whose population is assumed to be in the region of 1,350 people, Mmatseta and Galekgatshwane with 474 people, Kopong and Sasakwe with 9,312 people. Then follows the headquarters, Mmopane, with 15, 450. The constituency thus has 34, 786 or more people.
The second constituency, the new Kweneng South East will have its boundary covering the region Gaborone- Molepolole road, the Southern part of this – from Truckers Night Club up to Metsimotlhabe bridge, from the bridge to Rakola lands, from there to Ditlhakane; follow Ditlhakane River up to Papalwe River and joining the Tloaneng drift fence, then joining the Morokologadi then joining Boatle road up to Mmankgabane.
“Our research shows that some parts of Gabane Village, according to tribal boundaries, have been counted among Mogoditshane people. Therefore, these should be integrated into Gabane Village. Areas like Mogoditshane Blocks 5, 7, 8 and 9 will thus be part of Gabane in the new Kweneng South East constituency. Altogether 16,900 people will be counted among these,” said Mokgachane.
Metsimotlhabe Block1 and 4 – Serameng and Goora Mosenye with 8,884 people, Tloaneng 868, Mmokolodi 624, then the center, Gabane, comprising of 15,327 people will form this constituency.
Contacted for comment, the former Chairperson for Thamaga/Mogoditshane Sub Council, Patrick Manthe, said the idea of dividing the constituency is viable.
“As long as the area is broad enough not to be manageable by one legislator it is only ok to divide it so that interaction between the representative and the electorates can be smoother. If the numbers favour, the development is acceptable,” he said.
Botswana National Front’s Councillor for Gabane North West, David Nkutlwe Pule, said he supported the idea of dividing the constituency.
