The Botswana Poverty Eradication programme seems to be missing the target with increasing portions of benefits going to relatively well off families instead of the poorest. Sunday standard investigations have turned up information that some Batswana who are gainfully employed are benefiting from the programme.
An official from the Department of Social Welfare and Services confirmed this week that they are investigating cases in a Botswana Defence Force (BDF) officer and an employee of Gromberg and Schubert Company were granted the social security benefit to open a vendor shop and a rental tent respectively in Old Naledi location. The official confirmed this at an official meeting addressed by area Member of Parliament Kagiso Molatlhegi on Wednesday. This emerged after Old Naledi residents complained that social security aid was being diverted to relatively well off families.
Sunday Standard has not been able to establish the full extent of the problem. It also emerged during the meeting that residents from outside Old Naledi were benefitting from poverty Eradication Projects targeting Old Naledi residents. In the ensuing war of words between Old Naledi residents and government officials, Department of Social Welfare and Services official blamed residents for allowing people from outside the community to take over Old Naledi poverty eradication projects.
