15 Sep 2014

Remote area development affirmative action programme has been approved by cabinet in which ministers are requested to ensure that projects they intend to implement are considered by relevant thematic working groups.


Briefing the District Development Committee members (DDC), Ms Maitumelo Maemo, a principal district officer for development, said certain goals would be addressed through the programmes such as to build sustainable livelihood through economic empowerment initiatives, to promote community participation as well as to provide networking with development partners and stakeholders.


She said the affirmative action framework recognised the gaps and specific actions that needed to be taken by each sector to mitigate youth empowerment in which she said skills development training programme should be developed for the youth from RADs covering multidisciplinary skills such as general life skills.


Government sponsorship, she said should be provided to all students from RADs who have been admitted to tertiary institutions adding that such sponsorship should be provided entirely as grant.


In addition she said special consideration should be given to diploma graduates and artisans from RADs for enrollment into national internship programme noting that resource center should also be established in RADs to increase access to information.


“Position tenable in all settlements that do not require any skills should be reserved for members of the local community”, noted Maemo. 
For her part Ms Banyana Mosarwa a senior land officer from Kgatleng land board noted that Kgatleng land board has identified land in the district available for allocation adding that a total of 128 business plots have been identified.


She urged government departments to indicate their needs for the land so that it can be reserved before plots can be advertised to the rest of the public.


Ms Mosarwa also said the process of street naming which she said forms part of the seven components of the LAPACAS project has started in Matebeleng village.


She said Kgatleng District Council is now in the process of declaring Oodi a planning area following the approval of the Oodi Mmamashia Dikwididi Modipane and Matebele development plan.


Briefing the members about the preparations for 2014 general elections principal election officer Mr Boemo Mpolokeng said IEC has recruited civil servants only for the general election adding that there are 25 returning officers in Kgatleng, 112 assistant returning officers, 384 polling officers and 237 tallying officers.


He said Mochudi has a problem with storage facilities noting that they have requested unused classrooms from Kgatleng District Council to be used as storage facilities to store tents, lamps and water drums that will be used during elections.


“Elections are a very important national event so it requires concerted efforts to ensure that it is a success, we trust that with your assistance we will deliver free and fair elections” Ends