01 Jun 2014

Tension and rivalry between the departments of Social and Community Development (S&CD), supplies and Kweneng District Council planners has been blamed for the slow implementation of poverty eradication programmes in the district.

This was revealed during a Kweneng District Council leadership forum held at the council chamber recently.

The forum was informed that in order to expedite implementation, it had long been agreed that the registered destitute  people and those living with disability would be exempted from assessment, but that the decision had not been implemented by responsible officers.  

The officers had instead continued with the double assessment of both registered destitute people and those living with disabilities to enable them to qualify for the poverty eradication programme. It was noted that the tension had resulted in S&CD officers procuring poverty eradication materials directly instead of through supplies officers.

The leadership forum said the only improvement registered in the programme implementation was the equipping of beneficiaries with relevant skills. They said procurement remained a challenge.

The S&CD report that was presented at the forum also revealed that the programme was not progressing well in Lentsweletau because of the double assessment of people living with disabilities and destitute people.

Kweneng District Council secretary, Mr Wazha Tema said there was no need for the tension because the agreement was made with the district’s senior assistant council secretaries to ensure that registered destitute people and people with disabilities should automatically qualify for the poverty eradication programme, as they had been assessed before they were registered as destitute and disabled people.

For his part, the deputy council secretary, Mr Tsholofelo Molaodi expressed dissatisfaction over the alleged tension, arguing that the alleged attitudes might hamper progress and advised for the immediate reporting of such matters.

Meanwhile, the MP for Kweneng East, Maj. Gen. Moeng Pheto disassociated himself from a report establishing new settlements in his constituency, saying relevant stakeholders were not consulted and that the report did not represent the will of the community.

This was in response to a report that recognised 15 settlements in the district. He advised the district leadership forum against aligning Village Development Committees (VDC) with council wards instead of traditional boundaries. 

He said the arrangement could give councillors a platform to own VDCs instead of playing advisory roles. MP Pheto’s concern followed a request from the previous meeting not to increase VDCs in the newly established council ward. 

The meeting decided to defer the matter. The forum was briefed on the Letlhakeng/Morwamosu road status. The department of roads said shortage of trucks and graders had hampered productivity.    

Attendants learned that the planned construction of Ngware Junior Secondary School, which was scheduled for the current financial year, was again deferred.

One forum member questioned the viability of carrying out the construction since the Ngware catchment area could be absorbed by Mphuthe Junior Secondary School and Mahupu Junior Secondary School at Takatokwane which would be upgraded into a unified school.

Earlier, the leadership forum chairperson, Mr Motlhophi Leo expressed disappointment over regular absenteeism by forum members, especially Kweneng MPs.  Ends