21 Apr 2015

Takatokwane MP, Mr Ngaka Ngaka says it is important for leaders to discuss issues that affect their villages with various committees.

Speaking in a kgotla meeting at Metsibotlhoko on April 20, Mr Ngaka said such committees were vital to development of villages, adding that at the end of Parliament in July, he would instead of addressing kgotla meetings; go around villages to address such committees.

“This means that it will take a bit longer for me to come back and address normal kgotla meetings, but in my absence you have your councilors to channel your grievances through,” he said.

Mr Ngaka said he was aware of shortage of accommodation and office space at the local primary school and clinic, adding that the issues would be addressed through the backlog eradication programme.

Concerning electrification of the village, he said government selected 20 villages per year, which needed either new connections or the expansion of the existing lines. This year, he added no village in the constituency had been included, but promised that he would request for the inclusion of one village next year.

Mr Ngaka said the purpose of the kgotla meeting was to get the peoples’ views on the review of the Matimela Act which seeks to reduce the period of holding animals from the current six months to six weeks as well as the restructuring of the CEDA Young Farmers Fund.

The Takatokwane legislator said he would push for the upgrading of their kgotla so that a police officer could be posted to the area.

He was responding to complaints from the Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Thulaganyo Phori who decried a serious shortage of accommodation and office space at the clinic and primary school.

He said the situation was so bad that the headteacher uses a congested storeroom as an office. 

Mr Phori also cited lack of electricity at the clinic, saying it negatively impacts on development.

In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Bafentse Moatsheng appreciated developments in his village, such as the on-going construction of the kgotla office, although he said the kgotla does not have running water.

He also appreciated the construction of a house for one of the three destitute persons who have been promised such houses, and said hopefully the remaining two will be assisted soon. ENDS