Mathangwane
Encyclopedia
Mathangwane is a village in the Central District
of Botswana
. It is located at the confluence of the Shashe
and Vukwi rivers, 25 kilometres west of Francistown
along the road from Francistown to Nata
. The population of the village was 3,962 in 2001 census and was ranked 39th largest city in Botswana. The village is characterised by many river valleys (tributaries to the Shashe river) most of which are the boundaries of the village wards (dikgotla).
is originally an ethnic kalanga
and is currently ruled by She Itekeng Mongwaketsi Mathangwane. In 2008, Mathangwane planned to celebrated its centenary anniversary.
In the 1980s, Mathangwane was known for vehicle accidents that occurred on a one-lane narrow bridge across the Shashe River
which linked the village to Francistown
. It was widely believed that the accidents were caused by a ghost which deceived drivers into driving off the bridge at night. The old one-lane narrow bridge was replaced in the mid 1990s with a new dual-lane bridge that brought an end to those tragic accidents.
With the emagence of Francistown
as a city in 1997 and the political and economic instability of Zimbabwe
, Mathangwane saw an influx of migrants from other tribes of Botswana who couldn't afford accommodation rentals in the new city and illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe
who fled economic collapse and political persecution causing rapid growth to the village population. This led to indigenous villagers being made to forfeit their farm land around the village to government for allocation to new-comers as residential land.
In 2003, Mathangwane became the headquarters of Tonota North constituency
following a constitutional amendment which increased the number of constituencies in Botswana from 40 to the present 57 seats.
There are two primary schools, one junior secondary school, and two day-care centres in Mathangwane. After attaining junior certificate, children are often admitted to either Shashe River School, Mater Spei College, Tutume McConnel college or Masunga Senior Secondary School. This arrangement long proved strenuous to underprivileged families with their children dropping from school or performing badly in form five examinations due to the economic pressure.
Roads
With the exception of the Francistown to Nata Highway
going through the village, all village internal roads are dirt road
s mostly impassable after heavy rains; existing un-bridged River valleys within the village along the roads are a challage to villagers' free movement. Villagers eagerly approved plans for the construction of Mmandunyane-Shashe Mooke-Borolong-Chadibe-Mathangwane road in early 2007 which they viewed as the only hope for the inprovement of the village internal road infrastractures. Arup Botswana was appointed for the construction of the road which totaled 70 km in length. It later emerged that in light of the revenue constraints due to the on-going global economic and financial crisis, the Central District Council (CDC)
decided to prioritise its projects and the impending road was never constructed.
Health System
The health system consists of one clinic with full time general nurses and a doctor to handle short time inpatients. Since the turn of 2000 the only inprovements to the clinic was the construction of a Maternity Ward and addition of a Caraven which serves as a Voluntary HIV
counselling and testing (VCT) center being part of Botswana's national HIV treatment programme; the move which saw the Government of Botswana being commended by World Health Organisation for demonstrating a very high level of political commitment to addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the success considered a fine example of how antiretroviral therapy can be provided on a large scale in resource-constrained settings. The clinic refers major cases to the Nyangabwe Referral hospital and patients with mental disorder to Jubilee hospital which are both located in Francistown.
Clean Water
The village was connected to the Shashe Dam water supply reticulation through Francistown in 2001. This was followed by the upgrading of the Shashe Dam water treatment plant to augment increased water demand. Before the implementation of The Water Sector Reforms Programme in February 2010 through which water supply in the village was taken over by Water Utilities Corporation, water connections applications and water bill payments were done in Tutume
which is 75 km west of the village.
Village Shortfalls
Villagers receive Government services from different places with vast geographical distances, i.e. Francistown, Tonota, Tutume
, Marapong
, Masunga
and Serowe
, and this disadvantage locals from benefiting from existing government programs and services.
Like many Botswana villages, community developments and minor projects that do not require expert consultancy are controlled by a group of volunteers called the Village Development Committee (VDC). Majority of Mathangwane VDC volunteers use it as a platform to gain popularity before joining the village politics; an unproductive and egocentric practice hindering the success of the Village VDC. Villages simillar to Mathangwane in size and population through their VDC developed community projects that continue to sustain the livelihood of their villagers, for example, Mathangwane does not have a Community Hall nor rented small business stalls all which are schemes supported by government through community projects and long proved worthy in income generation for small communities like Mathangwane.
Settlement in the area may have been chosen for the presence of perennial water sources (from Shashe and Vukwi Rivers). In the late 20th century the village streached along the river bank from the North to the South with the west being locals' seasonal farm land. The eatern side of the Shashe river is the North East District
tribal land and it is predominately elite villagers' farm land and ranch
es administered in Masunga Village
. The increase in population and water system reticulation by government saw new settlers being allocated residential land on the underprivileged villagers' seasonal farm land in the west. This prompted locals to informally call the area 'New Xadi' (named after the government resettlement area for the former Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR)
San people in the Ghanzi District
).
The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)
dominated the village local government politics
since the first elections in Botswana in 1965
making the village a BDP
stronghold
.
Mfi Chite was the first councilor for the village following a win in the October 1974 general elections
; this was after the 1972 constitutional amendment which grouped villages of Borolong, Chadibe, Makobo, Mathangwane, Natale
and Shashemoke into a single council ward un-axing them from the then Tonota
council ward. The grouping was broken down further in 1982 constitutional amendment un-axing villages of Borolong, Natale
, and Shashemoke from the ward.
Mfi Chite retained the council seat for BDP
in both the 1979 and 1984 general elections
. Mfi Rabeka Hulela won the council seat again for the BDP
in the October 1989 general elections
following Mfi Chite's retirement from politics at the end of his office term in 1989. Mfi Hulela retained the council seat for the BDP
in the October 1994 general election
and remained the ward councilor until her passing in 1998 after which the ward remained without a councilor until the October 1999 general elections
when Mfi Munyadzwe won the ward for the BDP
.
In 2000, Mr. Ookame Ntobedze won the bye-elections of the ward for the BDP
following the passing of Mr. Munyadzwe. In 2003, another constitutional amendment saw Mathangwane being split into two council wards (Mathangwane North and Mathangwane South council wards). BDP
won both council wards in the October 2004 general elections
with Mr. Ookame Ntobedzi represanting the Mathangwane South council ward and Mfi Gilbert Nkhukhu represanting the Mathangwane North council ward. In 2007, Mr. Ipuseng Chikanda won the bye-election of the Mathangwane North council ward for the BDP
following the passing of Mr. Nkhukhu.
Upsets
With known village political trend, BDP
council candidates fiercely contested their party
primary elections with the knowledge that a win guaranteed individuals seats at the Council Chambers. Both Mr. Chikanda and Mr. Ntobedze were upset by the Botswana Congress Party (BCP)
candidates in the October 2009 general elections
marking the first ever BDP
defeat in the village. This surprise defeat of the BDP
council candidates led to a major campaign in the village in 2010 following the passing of Mr. Gaolatlhe Balizi for the Tonota North Parliamentary by-elections which BDP
won. Opposition parties later accused the ruling party
(BDP)
of using government
resources including public media in their party campaigns and at the same time opposing funding of political parties by government
.
The BCP's
council surprise victory in the village was viewed as a significant breakthrough in a historical BDP
stronghold and opposition parties made an un-official pact in surpport of the BCP's
Tonota North Parliamentary candidate, Dr. Habaundi Njiro Hobona during the 2010 Parliamentary by-election.
Mathangwane does not have a major shopping center but has a cluster of shops and bars mostly along the Francistown-Nata main road, selling clothes, fast food, alcohol, building materials to car and bicycle parts. There are also a number of hair salons that boom around Christmas time specialising in afro-styles. The most stable are a few brick
molding entrepreneurs who specialise in pressed concrete bricks and supply locals for individual house construction developments. Trade services such as metal-smiths, plumbing, bricklaying, and electrical installation are supplied by individuals, in a largely unregulated trade.
Just like other villages in the proximity of a city, Mathangane Villagers has a potential to drive their economy from real estate and construction trade. The Village has recently attracted influx of people working in Francistown looking for rented accommodation and outright property purchases; this resulted in a rapid property appreciation in the Village. There is, however, been little growth in the number of job creation. High rates of crime have become a disincentive to permanent settlement and micro business
sector growth in the village.
Central District (Botswana)
Central is the largest of Botswana's districts in terms of area and population. It encompasses the traditional homeland of the Bamangwato people. Some of the most politically connected Batswana have come from the Central District, including former President Sir Seretse Khama, former President...
of Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
. It is located at the confluence of the Shashe
Shashe River
The Shashe River is a major left-bank tributary of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe.It rises northwest of Francistown, Botswana and flows into the Limpopo River where Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa meet, site of the Shalimpo Transfrontier Conservation Area.- Hydrology :The Shashe River is a...
and Vukwi rivers, 25 kilometres west of Francistown
Francistown
Francistown or Nyangabgwe is the second largest city in Botswana, with a population of about 85,363, and often described as the "Capital of the North". It is located in eastern Botswana, about north-northeast from the capital, Gaborone...
along the road from Francistown to Nata
Nata, Botswana
Nata is a village in Central District of Botswana. It is located in the northern part of the district, and is served by Nata Airport. The population was 4150 in 2001 census. The village of Nata lies along the Nata River which carries its rainy season flow to the Makgadikgadi Pans, a seasonal...
. The population of the village was 3,962 in 2001 census and was ranked 39th largest city in Botswana. The village is characterised by many river valleys (tributaries to the Shashe river) most of which are the boundaries of the village wards (dikgotla).
History
The villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
is originally an ethnic kalanga
BaKalanga
The Kalanga, also known as the Bakalanga are one of the first Bantu speaking tribes to migrate to present day Botswana, followed by the Bakgalagadi and then the Batswana . The Kalanga had first settled in Mapungubwe in South Africa, the first Kalanga state. They later moved to the Great Zimbabwe...
and is currently ruled by She Itekeng Mongwaketsi Mathangwane. In 2008, Mathangwane planned to celebrated its centenary anniversary.
In the 1980s, Mathangwane was known for vehicle accidents that occurred on a one-lane narrow bridge across the Shashe River
Shashe River
The Shashe River is a major left-bank tributary of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe.It rises northwest of Francistown, Botswana and flows into the Limpopo River where Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa meet, site of the Shalimpo Transfrontier Conservation Area.- Hydrology :The Shashe River is a...
which linked the village to Francistown
Francistown
Francistown or Nyangabgwe is the second largest city in Botswana, with a population of about 85,363, and often described as the "Capital of the North". It is located in eastern Botswana, about north-northeast from the capital, Gaborone...
. It was widely believed that the accidents were caused by a ghost which deceived drivers into driving off the bridge at night. The old one-lane narrow bridge was replaced in the mid 1990s with a new dual-lane bridge that brought an end to those tragic accidents.
With the emagence of Francistown
Francistown
Francistown or Nyangabgwe is the second largest city in Botswana, with a population of about 85,363, and often described as the "Capital of the North". It is located in eastern Botswana, about north-northeast from the capital, Gaborone...
as a city in 1997 and the political and economic instability of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, Mathangwane saw an influx of migrants from other tribes of Botswana who couldn't afford accommodation rentals in the new city and illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
who fled economic collapse and political persecution causing rapid growth to the village population. This led to indigenous villagers being made to forfeit their farm land around the village to government for allocation to new-comers as residential land.
In 2003, Mathangwane became the headquarters of Tonota North constituency
Parliamentary constituencies of Botswana
Botswana is divided into fifty-seven parliamentary constituencies. The constituencies were last updated in 2002.-List of constituencies:-External links:* *...
following a constitutional amendment which increased the number of constituencies in Botswana from 40 to the present 57 seats.
Infrastructure
SchoolsThere are two primary schools, one junior secondary school, and two day-care centres in Mathangwane. After attaining junior certificate, children are often admitted to either Shashe River School, Mater Spei College, Tutume McConnel college or Masunga Senior Secondary School. This arrangement long proved strenuous to underprivileged families with their children dropping from school or performing badly in form five examinations due to the economic pressure.
Roads
With the exception of the Francistown to Nata Highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
going through the village, all village internal roads are dirt road
Dirt road
Dirt road is a common term for an unpaved road made from the native material of the land surface through which it passes, known to highway engineers as subgrade material. Dirt roads are suitable for vehicles; a narrower path for pedestrians, animals, and possibly small vehicles would be called a...
s mostly impassable after heavy rains; existing un-bridged River valleys within the village along the roads are a challage to villagers' free movement. Villagers eagerly approved plans for the construction of Mmandunyane-Shashe Mooke-Borolong-Chadibe-Mathangwane road in early 2007 which they viewed as the only hope for the inprovement of the village internal road infrastractures. Arup Botswana was appointed for the construction of the road which totaled 70 km in length. It later emerged that in light of the revenue constraints due to the on-going global economic and financial crisis, the Central District Council (CDC)
Central District
There is more than one place called Central District, Center District or Centre District:*Central District *Center District, Israel*Tsentralny District, Russia*Central District, Seattle*Central, Hong Kong...
decided to prioritise its projects and the impending road was never constructed.
Health System
The health system consists of one clinic with full time general nurses and a doctor to handle short time inpatients. Since the turn of 2000 the only inprovements to the clinic was the construction of a Maternity Ward and addition of a Caraven which serves as a Voluntary HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
counselling and testing (VCT) center being part of Botswana's national HIV treatment programme; the move which saw the Government of Botswana being commended by World Health Organisation for demonstrating a very high level of political commitment to addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the success considered a fine example of how antiretroviral therapy can be provided on a large scale in resource-constrained settings. The clinic refers major cases to the Nyangabwe Referral hospital and patients with mental disorder to Jubilee hospital which are both located in Francistown.
Clean Water
The village was connected to the Shashe Dam water supply reticulation through Francistown in 2001. This was followed by the upgrading of the Shashe Dam water treatment plant to augment increased water demand. Before the implementation of The Water Sector Reforms Programme in February 2010 through which water supply in the village was taken over by Water Utilities Corporation, water connections applications and water bill payments were done in Tutume
Tutume
Tutume is a large Bakalanga village located in the Central District of Botswana, about 50 km from the Zimbabwe border gate at Maitengwe. The nearest city is Francistown, about 100KM...
which is 75 km west of the village.
Village Shortfalls
Villagers receive Government services from different places with vast geographical distances, i.e. Francistown, Tonota, Tutume
Tutume
Tutume is a large Bakalanga village located in the Central District of Botswana, about 50 km from the Zimbabwe border gate at Maitengwe. The nearest city is Francistown, about 100KM...
, Marapong
Marapong
Marapong is a village in Central District of Botswana. It is located west of Francistown, to the south of the road connecting Francistown to Nata. The population was 1,579 in 2001 census....
, Masunga
Masunga
Masunga is one of Bakalanga settlements located in the North-East District of Botswana.The village is the Headquarters of the North East District...
and Serowe
Serowe
Serowe was famed as Botswana's largest village after Molepolole. Serowe has a rich history in Botswana'; it being the capital for the Bamangwato people in the early part of the 20th century and for being the birth place of many of Botswana's Presidents...
, and this disadvantage locals from benefiting from existing government programs and services.
Like many Botswana villages, community developments and minor projects that do not require expert consultancy are controlled by a group of volunteers called the Village Development Committee (VDC). Majority of Mathangwane VDC volunteers use it as a platform to gain popularity before joining the village politics; an unproductive and egocentric practice hindering the success of the Village VDC. Villages simillar to Mathangwane in size and population through their VDC developed community projects that continue to sustain the livelihood of their villagers, for example, Mathangwane does not have a Community Hall nor rented small business stalls all which are schemes supported by government through community projects and long proved worthy in income generation for small communities like Mathangwane.
Demographics
Mathangwane is divided into wards or dikgotla. They are Mathangwane (main ward), Mpatane, Nkuelegwa, Matshegong/Matiwa (nicknamed 'Palamakuwe' for its residents' noisy unruly parting style in the early 1980s), and other wards that emerged with village growth. Each kgotla has its own sub-chief or Kgosana. Until recently, Hobona village, 10 km west of Mathangwane along the road from Francistown to Nata was one of the main and oldest wards of Mathangwane under the leadership of Mfi Kgosana Seitshwenyeng Hobona.Settlement in the area may have been chosen for the presence of perennial water sources (from Shashe and Vukwi Rivers). In the late 20th century the village streached along the river bank from the North to the South with the west being locals' seasonal farm land. The eatern side of the Shashe river is the North East District
North-East District (Botswana)
The North-East District is one of the administrative districts of Botswana. Its capital is Masunga. In 2001, North-East had a population of 132,422 people...
tribal land and it is predominately elite villagers' farm land and ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
es administered in Masunga Village
Masunga
Masunga is one of Bakalanga settlements located in the North-East District of Botswana.The village is the Headquarters of the North East District...
. The increase in population and water system reticulation by government saw new settlers being allocated residential land on the underprivileged villagers' seasonal farm land in the west. This prompted locals to informally call the area 'New Xadi' (named after the government resettlement area for the former Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR)
Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Central Kalahari Game Reserve is an extensive national park in the Kalahari desert of Botswana. Established in 1961 it covers an area of 52,800 km² making it the second largest game reserve in the world.The park contains wildlife such as giraffe, brown hyena, warthog, cheetah, wild dog,...
San people in the Ghanzi District
Ghanzi District
Ghanzi is a district in western Botswana, bordering Namibia in the west and extending east into much of the interior of the country. The district's administrative centre is the town of Ghanzi. Most of the eastern half of Ghanzi makes up the Central Kalahari Game Reserve...
).
Politics
Brief HistoryThe Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
dominated the village local government politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
since the first elections in Botswana in 1965
Bechuanaland general election, 1965
General elections were held in the Bechuanaland Protectorate on 1 March 1965, the country's first election with universal suffrage. Voter turnout was 74.55% of the 188,950 registered voters. Following the elections, which resulted in a landslide victory for the Bechuanaland Democratic Party, the...
making the village a BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
stronghold
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
.
Mfi Chite was the first councilor for the village following a win in the October 1974 general elections
Botswana general election, 1974
General elections were held in Botswana on 26 October 1974. With 205,050 registered voters, turnout was just 31.22%. The result was a third successive landslide victory for the Botswana Democratic Party, who won 27 of the 32 elected seats, including three in which they were unopposed...
; this was after the 1972 constitutional amendment which grouped villages of Borolong, Chadibe, Makobo, Mathangwane, Natale
Natale
Natale is a village in Central District of Botswana. The village is located 30 km west of Francistown, and it has a primary school. The population was 1,117 in 2001 census....
and Shashemoke into a single council ward un-axing them from the then Tonota
Tonota
Tonota is a village located in the Central District of Botswana.The people in Tonota are said to be Bakhurutshe who fought against some other tribes they found there and after winning the war, they owned the land and they became 'Ba bina khama le phofu'...
council ward. The grouping was broken down further in 1982 constitutional amendment un-axing villages of Borolong, Natale
Natale
Natale is a village in Central District of Botswana. The village is located 30 km west of Francistown, and it has a primary school. The population was 1,117 in 2001 census....
, and Shashemoke from the ward.
Mfi Chite retained the council seat for BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
in both the 1979 and 1984 general elections
Elections in Botswana
Elections in Botswana have been held regularly since independence, and have been consistently judged free and fair by international observers....
. Mfi Rabeka Hulela won the council seat again for the BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
in the October 1989 general elections
Botswana general election, 1989
General elections were held in Botswana on 7 October 1989, alongside local elections. The result was the sixth straight victory for the Botswana Democratic Party, which won 31 of the 34 seats. There were a total of 367,069 registered voters for the election, of which 250,487 voted.-Results:...
following Mfi Chite's retirement from politics at the end of his office term in 1989. Mfi Hulela retained the council seat for the BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
in the October 1994 general election
Botswana general election, 1994
General elections were held in Botswana on 15 October 1994. They were fought between the Botswana Democratic Party and four opposition parties. Forty seats in the Parliament were contested, with the largest opposition party, the Botswana National Front making huge strides, as its representation...
and remained the ward councilor until her passing in 1998 after which the ward remained without a councilor until the October 1999 general elections
Botswana general election, 1999
The Botswana general election of 1999 was fought between the Botswana Democratic Party and four opposition parties. 40 seats in the Parliament were contested, with the largest opposition party, the Botswana Congress Party losing its leader and ten seats, reducing the party to a mere seat...
when Mfi Munyadzwe won the ward for the BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
.
In 2000, Mr. Ookame Ntobedze won the bye-elections of the ward for the BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
following the passing of Mr. Munyadzwe. In 2003, another constitutional amendment saw Mathangwane being split into two council wards (Mathangwane North and Mathangwane South council wards). BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
won both council wards in the October 2004 general elections
Botswana general election, 2004
The Botswana general election of 2004 was contested by the Botswana Democratic Party and eight opposition parties. 57 seats in the Parliament were contested, with the largest opposition party, the Botswana National Front , accusing the Independent Election Commission of fundamental errors in its...
with Mr. Ookame Ntobedzi represanting the Mathangwane South council ward and Mfi Gilbert Nkhukhu represanting the Mathangwane North council ward. In 2007, Mr. Ipuseng Chikanda won the bye-election of the Mathangwane North council ward for the BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
following the passing of Mr. Nkhukhu.
Upsets
With known village political trend, BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
council candidates fiercely contested their party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
primary elections with the knowledge that a win guaranteed individuals seats at the Council Chambers. Both Mr. Chikanda and Mr. Ntobedze were upset by the Botswana Congress Party (BCP)
Botswana Congress Party
The Botswana Congress Party is a social-democratic political party in Botswana, considered the third largest party in Botswana.The BCP was founded in 1998 in a split from the Botswana National Front, with most of the BNF's sitting Members of Parliament joining the new party after a leadership...
candidates in the October 2009 general elections
Botswana general election, 2009
General elections were held in Botswana on 16 October 2009. They were the 10th general elections held since Botswana's independence in 1966. Botswana's parliament has 61 seats, of which 57 are elected using a single-member district plurality system, meaning there are 57 constituencies, each...
marking the first ever BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
defeat in the village. This surprise defeat of the BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
council candidates led to a major campaign in the village in 2010 following the passing of Mr. Gaolatlhe Balizi for the Tonota North Parliamentary by-elections which BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
won. Opposition parties later accused the ruling party
Ruling party
The ruling party or governing party in a parliamentary system is the political party or coalition of the majority in parliament. Within a parliamentary system, the majority in the legislature also controls the executive branch of government, thus leaving no possibility of dueling parties...
(BDP)
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
of using government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
resources including public media in their party campaigns and at the same time opposing funding of political parties by government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
.
The BCP's
Botswana Congress Party
The Botswana Congress Party is a social-democratic political party in Botswana, considered the third largest party in Botswana.The BCP was founded in 1998 in a split from the Botswana National Front, with most of the BNF's sitting Members of Parliament joining the new party after a leadership...
council surprise victory in the village was viewed as a significant breakthrough in a historical BDP
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
stronghold and opposition parties made an un-official pact in surpport of the BCP's
Botswana Congress Party
The Botswana Congress Party is a social-democratic political party in Botswana, considered the third largest party in Botswana.The BCP was founded in 1998 in a split from the Botswana National Front, with most of the BNF's sitting Members of Parliament joining the new party after a leadership...
Tonota North Parliamentary candidate, Dr. Habaundi Njiro Hobona during the 2010 Parliamentary by-election.
Industry
The area around Mathangwane consists of crop and cattle farmland. There are also a number of poultry and vegetable farms who supply Francistown and the local market.Mathangwane does not have a major shopping center but has a cluster of shops and bars mostly along the Francistown-Nata main road, selling clothes, fast food, alcohol, building materials to car and bicycle parts. There are also a number of hair salons that boom around Christmas time specialising in afro-styles. The most stable are a few brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
molding entrepreneurs who specialise in pressed concrete bricks and supply locals for individual house construction developments. Trade services such as metal-smiths, plumbing, bricklaying, and electrical installation are supplied by individuals, in a largely unregulated trade.
Just like other villages in the proximity of a city, Mathangane Villagers has a potential to drive their economy from real estate and construction trade. The Village has recently attracted influx of people working in Francistown looking for rented accommodation and outright property purchases; this resulted in a rapid property appreciation in the Village. There is, however, been little growth in the number of job creation. High rates of crime have become a disincentive to permanent settlement and micro business
Small business
A small business is a business that is privately owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. Small businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships...
sector growth in the village.