12 May 2014

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Olebile Gaborone has informed residents of Mantshwabisi in the Letlhakeng Sub-district that Parents Teachers Association (PTA) fosters working relationships between parents and teachers for the betterment of the children’s education.

Addressing residents in a kgotla meeting on May 8, Mr Gaborone said in most instances, it had been observed that parents were not playing their role, but only left their children’s education to teachers.

“Common issues in schools such as drug abuse and teenage pregnancy can be avoided if both parents and teachers played their role, but in most instances parents only send their children to school and do little to check on their progress,” he said.

Mr Gaborone said lack of cooperation between teachers and parents was evident in most kgotla meetings addressed, where parents complain of poor results at schools, whereas the issue could have been addressed at PTA meetings.

Still at the same meeting, Letlhakeng sub district council chairman, Cllr Tshoganetso Leuwe informed residents that government policy on access roads applies only on roads that are newly constructed, meaning that the 5 km stretch from their village to Molepolole-Letlhakeng road could not be tarred as the road was only being rehabilitated.

Cllrs Leuwe said improving water reticulation in their village lies with Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) as it has taken water supplies services.

On issues of using the contaminated borehole in the village for poverty eradication projects, he advised them to liaise with the Department of Water Affairs as the borehole has been handed to them.

Cllr Leuwe was responding to Kgosi Dikaelo Tsiang, who had enquired why the gravel road that connects their village to Molepolole-Letlhakeng road could not be tarred when the road was rehabilitated as per government policy on access roads.

He advised the Village Development Committee (VDC) to address shortage of accommodation and office space for civil servants in the village through Ipelegeng as they have been doing in the past.

Kgosi Tsiang had complained that the road was bad that people are forced to walk 5 km and risk encountering criminals because traffic has declined in that road.

He also complained about lack of office and accommodation space for civil servants in the village, saying even the kgotla does not have an office and is currently accommodated at the VDC offices.  ENDS