In the heart of Tatisiding, a unique tradition has been immortalised in a soon-to-be installed-billboard along the railway line. The image depicts a passenger train arriving at the station, with a commuter waving a glowing wooden stick to signal to the locomotive driver to stop. This nostalgic scene pays homage to the village’s history, where a commuter will alert drivers of the presence of passengers waiting at the siding, especially on dark nights.
Kgosi Simon Nkgageng of Tatisiding explains that this symbol represents the origin of the village’s name, Tatisiding, which originally referred to the train station. At 73, Kgosi Nkgageng has seen the village grow from a population of 4 000 to 19 000, thanks to its rapid development, fuelled largely by its strategic location near Francistown. The village has come a long way since Kgosi Nkgageng arrived in 1991.
“We had one primary school, and one secondary school, Tashatha Junior Secondary School,” he recalls. The turning point came with infrastructural development between 2006 and 2008, including tarring of internal roads, street lighting and sewerage installation. This sparked an influx of residents and plot seekers.
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Kgosi Nkgageng explains that Tatisiding has consistently benefitted from national development initiatives. Last, he explains, the village welcomed a post office and a community hall through the Constituency Community Project initiative. This year, a multimillion Pula kgotla shelter project is underway, with completion expected by April.
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