16 Nov 2015

The Assistant Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele, has told Parliament that plans are in place to have assessment, training and supply of poverty eradication packages expedited across all districts.

“In August 2014 a ministerial task team was sent out to address meetings to confirm the status of the poverty eradication projects,” he said.

Mr Makgalemele was responding to a question in which the Member of Parliament for Kanye South, Mr Abram Kesupile, wanted to know if the minister was aware that inspite of his repeated calls for the assessment, training, and distribution to be expedited, the Southern District still has many people waiting to be assessed, trained  and supplied.

He said his ministry has imposed a moratorium on new assessments to allow the office to fully focus on clearing incomplete projects and training of outstanding beneficiaries dating back to 2012.

He however said it was regrettable that mobilisation has continued after suspension in certain districts and his office has since communicated this issue to both districts and sub districts that the moratorium should be observed.

“My Ministry has intensified to clear the backlog and 10 districts coordinators have been appointed to directly ensure that assessed beneficiaries are supplied with packages and  trained before the end of the financial year,” he said.

Furthermore, he said his ministry has made a decision to outsource training of beneficiaries, adding that measures were also being put in place to further decentralise procurement and that in view of the delays in the procurement process, they have engaged relevant stakeholders to find ways of reducing the turnaround time.

Mr Kesupile has also wanted to know what the Minister will do to ensure that prospective beneficiaries assessed and trained in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 have all been supplied before the end of the financial year 2015/2016. Ends