…. The graves were found in Kasane last year at a construction site
Efforts to identify the family of the six-graves which were found in Kasane last year at the construction site for 150 institutional housing, which is part of the Kasane-Kazungula Redevelopment Plan project, are still on going.
The area where the construction is taking place known as Palamaokue is reported to have been a compound in the early 1960s, which was also used as a burial place.
In an interview, Chobe District Council Chairman, Johane Chenjekwa said that following their engagements and consultations with members of the community earlier this year, the decision was taken to allow family members to identify the human remains which are currently lying at Kasane Primary Hospital morgue.
He stated that community members are currently registering at the District Commissioner’s office in Kasane, which would then liaise with relevant stakeholders to identify the family members through DNA tests.
“Community members are currently registering at the District Commissioner’s Office, to help identify the human remains, it is not an easy exercise to carry, for some families there is no one left who can come to identify the human remains because those who are supposed to do so have also passed away” said Chenjekwa.
Chenjekwa noted that those coming to register with the District Commissioner’s office are not as much as they expected, therefore they intend to set a deadline for registration and encourage people to follow that deadline to ensure that the exercise is concluded as soon as possible.
Chenjekwa had previously indicated that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) survey and soil tests were conducted before the commencement of the project, which verified that there were no irregularities underground.
He said that it was unfortunate that upon the construction of the foundations structures for the buildings, the remains were discovered, which were then taken for forensic tests. Chenjekwa had stated that despite the discovery of the human remains in that area the project will continue.
Meanwhile, when addressing a Kgotla meeting in Kasane beginning of this year, Minister of Environment and Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi apologised to the Chobe community for such an unfortunate incident, indicating that the construction was carried out without proper consultations with the community.
Mmolotsi had indicated that the 150 institutional housing project is one of the major projects under the Kasane-Kazungula Redevelopment Plan, therefore it could not be suspended.
