Tshwaragano Hotel still popular Serowe haunt

BOTHO BAPUTAKI
Correspondent | Friday May 31, 2013 00:00

Talk about the history of the ruling party, its founder, the history of the rivalry between the Bangwato and Bakalaka. It all starts in Serowe.  Sometimes we have to leave our serious political history to focus on the entertainment, to rewind our minds and let loose. That is when Tshwaragano Hotel comes to mind with its long history dating back to the old Bechuanaland but still standing and buzzing with activity.

Located in Serowe's commercial nerve centre, perched on the west side of Serowe Hill is the quaint Tshwaragano Hotel. Built in the early 1960's from stone and thatch, Tshwaragano Hotel offers affordable accommodation with 11 unique chalets terraced onto the hillside. From this vantage point guests always enjoy a panoramic view of the village. Tshwaragano Hotel, which is situated behind Ngwato Land Board (NLB) offices, is the only hotel that is so close to nature where visitors can always feel on top of the world due to its unique spot. Just being inside the hotel, gives you an eye view of  the noisy bus rank, the UCCSA church building, the Central District Council (CDC) Chamber and much more.

However, when you are seated sipping your choice of drink at the top of that hill, you will never know that just on the other side of the hill lies the Royal family cemetery. This is where former President Sir Seretse Khama, Lady Khama and such enjoy their peaceful eternal sleep. Spending time at the hotel is the closest one can be to the late royals without a care of how you behave. The calmness that is in the place also makes it peaceful and refreshing for any person that needs a quite time. The hotel that is owned by Warrick Rencken also houses a lot of wild species. Bird lovers can visit the place just to spend some time looking up the skies and admiring what they love most. Rencken was inspired by the place as it showed a lot of potential and the fact that it's in the heart of the village. Talking about the business, Rencken  explained that the place started running in March 2012 and has 10 staff members and 11 rooms together with a bar and restaurant. He says that business was low at first but is now   picking up as people are beginning to notice the hotel and come to be closer to nature.

Rencken says he rents the hotel from the Swaneng Cooperative Trust fund and his intention is not just to make a profit but to create employment for the locals.Rewinding back to the history of the hotel, Kgosi Joel Thebe Pelotona who is a co-founder of Tshwaragano confirms that the hotel was built as Swaneng Consumer Cooperative an idea that was born by Patrick Van Rensburg. Pelotona who was born in 1934 and no longer remembers a lot due to age also confirmed they did not face any difficulties when asking for permission from the royal house to build the hotel in the hill. Kgosi Rasebolai Kgamane was the reigning chief at that time. The hotel was built as an open hotel and it was the cheapest at that time and the royals who also wanted to go and have a good quite time were free to visit Tshwaragano at any time of the day. The material that was used to build the hotel was sourced locally as the rocks dug out during the construction was used for the walls.

The intention was to use local material as much as possible. And Sekgele Sesumo, a Tigerkloof College graduate who also trained students at the brigades, did all the construction.The money that was accrued from the hotel went to the consumer cooperative, something which Pelotona is no longer sure has continued, since he no longer knows the cooperative board members and how they run it. Pelotona has always been a good friend of Van Rensburg and the start of the  brigades as well as the Mmegi newspapers were all done before his eyes as he was also involved in the translation as there was the language barrier to contend with.