19 Jan 2015

Boikhutso Ward Development Committee (WDC) chairperson, Ms Kediabetswe Kereeditse has appealed to residents of Francistown to assist her committee to extend the ward’s pre-school.

Speaking in a meeting addressed by Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi recently, Ms Kereeditse said her committee had stopped extension of the pre-school building due to insufficient funds.

She explained that her committee raised P28 000 through various activities and that the city of Genk in Belgium contributed P58 000, but that the funds were inadequate.

The chairperson also said the committee was planning to conduct a community wellness day in March to raise funds and appealed to residents of Francistown to participate and contribute funds. In response, Mr Mmolotsi suggested that the community should contribute funds for the pre-school building.

He said they could contribute P1 per 10 years of their age and he promised residents that should they contribute, he would contribute half of the total amount that the residents raised. On other issues, she expressed concern over increasing crime incidents in the area.

A resident, Mr James Motlogelwa appealed to the council to supply rubbish bins, adding that  due to lack of such bins, people threw rubbish in the river. Ms Kolobetso Senthumuleng complained that council employees who collected litter spilled it on the surroundings.

Mr Herbet Nkabiti complained that due to lack of a Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) office in Francistown, entrepreneurs were expected to certify copies of their certificates in Gaborone.

However, MP Mmolotsi said he once engaged the former Minister of Trade and Industry on having another PPADB office in the north, but that the minister had explained that due to budgetary constraints it could not be implemented.

Mr Mmolotsi assured residents that he would suggest to the ministry to explore whether they could appoint one of the offices to certify copies on behalf of the PPADB. Mr Boitumelo Molao observed that due to some unclear Ipelegeng recruitment guidelines, the WDC in some instances engaged workers who were mentally challenged.

He said one of the mentally challenged Ipelegeng workers injured other employees. Francistown City Council (FCC) chief social community development (S&CD) officer, Ms Sikhwebu Phama said mentally challenged people should not be enrolled in the programme.

The chief civil and mechanical engineering officer, Mr Thuto Obakeng explained that the council used to provide rubbish bins but that due to financial constraints, the council resolved that each household should provide its own bin. 
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