01 Mar 2015

Mahalapye Sub-council plans to embark on investment drive to generate its own income and expand revenue base. 

Addressing Mahalapye Sub-council meeting recently, chairperson, Mr Tassman Cebani said by embarking on investment and partnerships, they would not only generate income for the sub council, but would also bring significant increases in employment opportunities and reduction of poverty.

Mr Cebani further said priorities for the sub council for the next financial year, were to prioritise residents’ voices in planning decisions and deliver better environmental and social outcomes across all planning matters. He said they would also create jobs throughout the sub council through the development of commercial and business hubs. 

Another priority, Mr Cebani said was to continue to improve basic services resulting in better quality services that were easy to access. On positive developments that had occurred in the sub council, Mr Cebani applauded Japan Embassy for their decision to offer the sub council a grant of P243 000 to electrify primary schools in the district.

He said seven primary schools in Moshopa, Ngwapa, Mmutlane, Kudumatse, Bonwapitse, Mosolotshane and Mmaphashalala had been electrified through the grant. Mr Cebani bemoaned the looming poor yields expected this year.

Of the total cultivatable area of 41 076 hectares in the sub council, he said a total of 1 167 farmers managed to cultivate only 17.7 per cent which translate to 7 286 hectares, of which the crop condition was poor. Low cultivation and poor crop conditions, he said were due to the fact that there were prolonged dry spells coupled with the fact that more farmers planted maize which needed a lot of rainfall as opposed to sorghum and cowpeas which could withstand heat and dry spell. 

Mr Cebani said very low yields of one bag per hectare were expected this year, hence possibility of food shortages at household and national level was expected. Furthermore, the chairperson briefed the sub council about the newly created Mahalapye sub fire department which was established in October 2014. 

The fire department, he said was still at its infancy stage with a simple light fire truck and a staff complement of 14 officers. Mr Cebani said the long term plan was to have a fully-fledged fire station. Currently, he said the sub council was financially constrained to provide all the required resources. ENDS