30 Mar 2015

A total of 1 293 people have benefitted from the poverty eradication programme in the Kgatleng District, 702 being from Mochudi West and 591 from Mochudi East.

The Kgatleng District Council chairperson, Mr Mpho Morolong said this during a full council meeting recently.

Mr Morolong said 707 had already been assessed, adding that 345 were from Mochudi West and 262 from Mochudi East, while 220 had been trained for various packages.

“There are 45 operational projects benefiting 98 beneficiaries, the remaining 122 trained beneficiaries are awaiting their packages which are yet to be supplied,” he said.

The council chairperson said there were delays in the procurement of materials for projects from suppliers, adding that suppliers fail to provide full packages. Regarding beneficiaries who operate bakery projects, he said they had been allowed to supply bread to local primary schools.

As part of the affirmative action, he said, the kiosk project in Kgomodiatshaba had been contracted by council to supply toiletry to needy students and orphans from Khurutshe and Kgomodiatshaba villages.

“On the other hand, since the inception of the poverty eradication program under the project of backyard gardens, 323 beneficiaries were mobilised and awareness training was done for 300 beneficiaries and technical training on basic vegetable production and record keeping for 71 beneficiaries,”  he said.

Moreover, he said a total of 172 shade nets were completed, 92 for Mochudi East and 80 for Mochudi West individuals while 34 were for institutions.  He noted that out of 206 projects, 100 are operational and 106 are not operating due to the heat stress and water shortage.

On Youth Development Fund, Councillor Morolong said P15.9 million was used to fund 177 projects since its inception in 2009/10 creating employment opportunities for 325 people.

He said only 10 projects out of 177 funded projects have so far collapsed while 134 are operational and 30 at procurement stage.

Furthermore, he said for the financial 2014/2015, 50 projects worth P4.9 million were approved, creating employment opportunities for 50 people, 28 males and 2 females.

He also said consultations and submissions for 2015/2016 projects started on January 5 2015 and were still on-going and he urged the councillors to encourage the youth to apply for the programme to improve their livelihoods.  ENDS