09 Jul 2018

About 20 heritage sites across the country will be developed in the current financial year in an effort to grow the economy and diversify tourism products.

This will be done through the Museum and Heritage Development Programme, an initiative driven by the Department of National Museum and Monument.

Briefing councillors about NDP 11 projects, the department’s deputy director, Steve Mogotsi said there were over 2 500 recorded sites and out these, access was improved for 100 sites through Ipelegeng programme during NDP10.

He said P230 million was allocated for five heritage development projects which included refurbishment of exhibitions and community museums, 20 district monuments, Ivory Museum in Gaborone and Geology and Mining Museum in Francistown.

Mogotsi said big exhibitions used to be hosted in Gaborone but now wanted to extend that to community museums in an effort to boost local economies and grow tourism. 

The refurbishment project he said would assess heritage collections and improve exhibition at seven community museums, Nhabe inclusive. Some said he might require new gallery spaces while others might need an improvement of existing exhibitions.

He said Tsodilo Hills would be enhanced to make it more appealing.

Tsodilo Hills is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the North-Western part of the country.

It gained the status in 2001 because of its unique religious and spiritual significance to the community as well as its unique record of human settlement over many years.

It has over 4 500 rock paintings.

Other heritage sites earmarked for the region include Gcwihaba caves and Old Bridge at Matlapana.  

Mogotsi said Gcwihaba site was among those considered for World Heritage listing hence they wanted to develop it to enhance its appreciation and recognition while Matlapana old bridge needed to be upgraded.

He said the department would engage consultants to conduct feasibility studies in the said areas adding that currently, consultations were ongoing to obtain input from stakeholders for ownership.

He said they wanted to identify stakeholders or individuals who would be affected or likely to be affected by the projects and whom might have an interest in the projects. ENDS