20 Mar 2016

Twenty teachers’ houses will be built for Lapologang and Boswelakgomo primary schools through the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) during the 2016/17 financial year. 

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Frans Van Der Westhuizen said each school would get 10 teachers houses. He said the dilapidated houses were mainly affected by roof leakages caused by worn out roof structures, which resulted in stained ceilings in some houses and underground pipe leakages caused by corrosion of galvanised steel pipes.

“There is a notable worn out kitchen units and peeling off tiles in some houses,” he added.  The assistant minister said due to budgetary constraints the buildings could not be maintained during the last financial year and this year. 

He noted that the council’s recurrent maintenance budget stood at P2million, adding that it was low compared to the number of facilities the council owns. “Most of these facilities are overdue for cyclic maintenance and priority is given to those that are severely affected compared to others,” he said. 

Mr Van Der Westhuizen said the flats at Kopano and Leseding have been included in the maintenance plan for re-roofing and general maintenance in 2016/17. 

He also added that he was aware that teachers’ houses at Leseding, Kopano, Boswelakgomo and Lapologang were in a state of disrepair. Furthermore, he told Parliament that there was a backlog of 40 teachers’ houses at Lapologang, Tebogo, Selebi-Phikwe, Reuben Mpabanga, Joseph Anderson and Boswelakgomo primary schools in Selebi Phikwe West constituency. 

The MP for Selebi-Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had asked the assistant minister if he was aware of shortage of staff houses for teachers and support staff in Selebi-Phikwe West constituency and the extend of dilapidation of the available and occupied houses. 

He also wanted the assistant minister to explain and give details of those dilapidation and state what was being done to make the houses habitable. Ends