18 Apr 2013

Food Relief Services is a unit under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development responsible for procurement, timely delivery and distribution of adequate, safe and quality food commodities to vulnerable groups through the supplementary feeding programme.

Answering a question in Parliament, the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said the unit is mandated to disburse funds for procurement of bread and bread spreads, agricultural produce and hand stampers’ wages to urban and district councils.

Ms Tshireletso said the unit also initiates proposals for review of wage rates for hand stampers and collaborates with other government departments at the district level through the office of District Commissioner who also monitors and supervises the feeding programme at district level.

During the financial year 2012/13, the assistant minister said the total warranted provision for food relief programme was P400 million while for 2013/14 financial year, the total warranted provision was over P362 million.

During the 2012/13 financial year, she noted that from the P400 million warranted provision, over P383 million was spent on procured food commodities.

She said the budget and procurement of food commodities is centralised and as such, the budget for all the districts and sub- districts form the total warranted budget provision for food relief services.

Therefore, Ms Tshireletso said there is no separate budget for Mahalapye sub-district.

Shoshong MP, Mr Phillip Makgalemele had asked the minster to state the broad portfolio responsibilities of the Food Resources Department and how they collaborate with various government departments at district level to ensure timely delivery of goods and services stipulated standards.

Mr Makgalemele also wanted to know the total budget for this department during the 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years at national level and in the Mahalapye sub district and the extent of expenditure during 2012/13 financial year. ENDS