While traditional cropping and animal husbandry practices are still carried out by many of the district’s inhabitants, South East lies on the doorstep of one of the fastest growing cities in Africa, namely Gaborone, which is the hub of a rapidly expanding economy. This juxtaposition is further complicated by the patchwork of administrative and institutional arrangements for land management found in the District. Only a little more than one half of the total land is tribal land which is administered by the Batlokwa andBalete Land Boards. The Batlokwa tribal area covers 215 square kilometres  while the Balete tribal area covers 670 square kilometres. The remainder is divided between freehold farms and State Land. The freehold land is privately owned land while State Lane is administered by the Department of Lands, and Maping.

 Ramotswa serves as the administrative headquarters of the District while Tlokweng serves as a one village sub-district as well as the traditional Head quarters of the  Bamalete tribe, the only one in the country so far.

Climate

The South – East District climatic condition is semi-arid with an average summer rainfall of about 475-500mm per annum. Mostly, rain falls in short high intensity spells and only on few occasions does heavy rainfall account for the bulk of the nnual precipitation.

Economic activites

South East District has potential for supporting viable economic activites such as agriculture, industrial and commercial activites. The District is endowed with abundant underground water resources which can be utilised for intensive irrigation purposes. However, at least five boreholes have been closed down in Ramotswa due to pollution caused, mainly, by solid human waste. Water from such boreholes could be used for irrigation purposes. At the beginning of DDP 4, the District had requested that a special package be made available to assist small districts such as South East, to undertake irrigation at a medium/large scale. Thiswas to be formulated by the Ministries of Mineral Resources and Water Affairs as well as that of Agriculture

Employment and unemployment

 Employment in South East District is not only confined to activities located in the District. The proximity of the District to urban centres of Gaborone and Lobatse has resulted in a significant number of people in the District commuting to work in those centre every day. In 1991, South East District’s economically active population aged 15-64 constituted 15 003 of the District’s total population. Out of the 15 003, there were 8 462 or 56.4% men in the economically active population, while there were 6 541 women or 43.6%.

 The labour force was composed of 15 003, of there 11 132 or 74.2 % were working in the formal sector employment of whom 56.1% were male and 43.9% were females. In addition to that, 383 men and 251 women were self employed. Further, 94 men and 86 women were engaged in family business. Therefore, of the 15 003 economically active population, 11 957 were engaged in formal sector income generating activities.

 Still within the economically active category, 782 were reported to be working at lands and cattle posts. These were divided as follows: There were 621 men and 161 women

 The table below shows employment and unemployment situation during the 1991 Population and Housing Census.