North West District Council has passed a motion by Bojanala councillor Luke Motlaleselelo requesting the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to revert to the death by wildlife compensation old system of giving out P20 000 over the counter from the P70 000 compensation given to the bereaved families to use for funerals arrangements and pay the remaining balance at a later stage.
Tabling the motion Motlaleselelo said since the payment arrangement has been changed and now being claimed before the high court, this has resulted in delays. He highlighted that most beneficiaries who lost their family members in wild animal attacks two years ago are yet to be compensated funeral money.
He indicated that most deaths due to wildlife attacks occur in rural areas where most people are disadvantaged with low to no source of income, and delayed payments cause a huge strain for the deceased’s family.
“My area is the most affected, around July this year a resident lost life due to an elephant attack, it was a problem because they had nothing to arrange for the funeral. The family has just received the money this month after enduring so much troubles arranging the funeral,” Motlaleselelo said.
He added that in August another person in Boro was mauled to death by a lion and to date no payment has been made as far as funeral arrangements are concerned.
He posited that arrangement of claiming funeral arrangement money through the inheritance act has caused a lot of conflicts because the money comes late and the heir takes it all leaving out debts incurred during the funeral.
Motlaleselelo said on enquiring with the Problem Animal Control Unit he was told that the situation of delayed compensation has been stabilised as people can be paid through revenue offices. The councillor said there is however no written document supporting that.
In support of the motion, Boro/Senonnori Councillor Kenson Kgaga said motions of this nature are very important because things have become very expensive and that becomes burdensome on the bereaved family.
Lekonne Masoko of Shashe/Botshabelo area also concurred that if the funeral arrangement money is paid over the counter it will save the bereaved family a lot of hassles when making funeral arrangements.
Meanwhile North West Regional wildlife officer Pelotshweu Galebotswe noted that the decision to make payments through high court came with the treasure. She however acknowledged that they have been receiving complaints of delayed payments. She noted that due to the concerns the department went on to seek for payments to be made over the counter which has since been given a go ahead. She indicated that they have recently paid over the counter a bereaved family their P20 000 funeral arrangement money and P50 000 compensation in Nxamaseri and Thololamoro.
