15 Feb 2015

Kgosi Duncan Segotsi of Mahalapye has complained that poor Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure delays service delivery.

In his welcome remarks during a kgotla meeting addressed by President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama in Mahalapye on February 12, Kgosi Segotsi stated that poor internet at his kgotla impeded service delivery. He cited that lack of Government Accounting and Budgeting System (GABS) at the kgotla was a major challenge to service delivery.

In addition, Kgosi Segotsi told President Khama that one of their court clerks has been transferred, while the other one has gone for training and there were no replacements. As a result, he said the latter also affected service delivery. He said government intension to increase the number of headmen of arbitration in the pay roll was a welcome move which they had been fighting for.

Responding to the concerns, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Slumber Tsogwane stated that the ministry was in the process of replacing the two court clerks. Also, Mr Tsogwane said they were working on improving ICT infrastructure.

On other issues, Mr Tsogwane said government was not ready to increase Village Development committee (VDC) allowances. He explained that government was informed by inflation and its priorities before increasing VDC allowances. He pointed out that there were 7 340 VDC members country wide.

Earlier, Mahalapye VDC chairperson, Ms Baareng Raphane had pleaded with government to consider increasing their allowances to P500. Ms Raphane also pleaded with government to increase Ipelegeng slots from 919 to 1 500 to reduce the waiting period

Further, the VDC chairperson asked government to increase streets lights in Mahalapye. ENDS