21 Apr 2013

Parliament has been informed that funds for independence celebrations are budgeted for annually by each council under their recurrent budgets.

Answering a question in Parliament, the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said allocations are made to various villages through the Village Development Committees based on the population per village using the latest census statistics.

With specific reference to Mahalapye Sub District which has 40 villages and 47 committees, she said the  seven wards in Mahalapye and the umbrella committee are allocated funds on a P500 base amount per village. She said the remaining amount is then divided by the sub district total population and multiplied by the population per village.

She said that the purpose of the base amount is to ensure that lowly populated villages are not disadvantaged against major villages. She further stated that all villages in the Shoshong constituency are up to date with their allocations.

Ms Tshireletso highlighted that the P500 base amount per village is the only factor that influences the amount allocated to each.

As such, she said the 2001 population census was the one used up to 2011 adding that for the coming financial year, the 2011 population census will be used.

The assistant minister said under the current recession, independence funds will not be increased.

She however indicated that if the private sector is willing to assist government, it would be a welcome development. MP for Shoshong, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele had asked the minister to state the justification of arriving at amounts to be distributed to different villages during Independence celebrations (Boipuso).

Mr Makgalemele also asked how villages are categorised in this distribution and how much each category receives. In addition, he asked whether all villages in the Shoshong constituency are up to date with their allocations.

He further asked when those figures were last reviewed and whether given the importance of these celebrations, the minister will consider increasing such funds including mobilising more visible private sector support especially those with national presence. ENDS