Development has always been conceptualised and understood differently by different parties. The common divide is between the "developers" and those being "developed". Yet, equally important is the difference of perception among the "developers" themselves. The last point is particularly important because of the many actors found in any development site, some being more conspicuous than others. Often, the different actors push agendas that may not only be different but may be conflictive as well, sometimes with negative consequences for the target community. In Botswana, perhaps the best case that exemplifies such a situation is the case of the development of the Basarwa, especially those who are being moved by the government from the Central Kalahari game reserve to settlements outside, where they are to pursue a lifestyle that is different from the one they have known and lived by. In the development sites, political parties, NGOs and foreign governments are active. Each is attempting in its own way and with the resources it can command, to channel development of the Basarwa in ways it ostensibly perceives as being in the best interests of the Basarwa in question. This paper brings to the fore the inherent problem of variation in the perceptions of different actors and how the conflict born of such differences impacts on the target community. The paper emphasises that Basarwa are not passive on-lookers in this drama, it shows how they respond to the challenge by skilfully reshaping their own knowledge by combining it with what they perceive as being advantageous from what each of these external actors offers. Eventually, Basarwa undergo a transformation which seems to restructure their social organisation in terms of the mainstream social formation of a visibly differentiated community, yet without any tangible benefits from the development process. The case therefore raises two issues. First, it challenges the applicability of development as a linear or monolithic process. Secondly, the paper manifests development as a complex phenomenon in which different actors push up their stakes with the result that the outcome of projects on the ground is often very different from what might have been intended by any of the actors singly.
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