06 Nov 2016

President Lt. Gen Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama says efforts to revamp the Department of Tribal Administration (DTA) are on-going.

The President was responding to a concern raised by Kgosi Malope II during a kgotla meeting the former addressed in in Kanye on Thursday (November 3).

President Khama said he was aware that the department was experiencing challenges like shortage of transport and office accommodation among others arising from the fact that only a small stake of the budget was apportioned to the institution in the past few years due to recession.

Dr Khama also encouraged the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Slumber Tsogwane who was also present in the meeting to inspect Kgosi Malope’s official vehicle and ensure it was replaced if need be.

Among other challenges, Kgosi Malope had complained that his official vehicle was always in and out of service which he said affected his service delivery.

On the issue of replacing the old Kanye water infrastructure which was also raised by Kgosi Malope, President Khama explained that he was aware that it was old, dilapidated and needed to be replaced.

However, he said it would come at a cost considering that other parts of the country were also affected.

Kgosi Malope had raised a view that the on-going Kanye sewerage project be combined with the replacement of the old water infrastructure to pave way for the North-South water carrier project which is expected to put paid to water shortage concerns in the Southern part of the country.

He said 40 per cent of the water was currently lost through underground leakages.

Kgosi Malope feared the challenge if it was not addressed urgently might undermine the spirit of the North-South water carrier project which is expected to round off February next year.

Kgosi Malope also told the meeting that most of the DTA offices across the district did not have a fax machine or Internet services which made communication between him and other dikgosi difficult.

He revealed that his office still used a vehicle to transport mail across the district in the absence of fax machines which he said was rather costly considering the wear and tear, as well as fuel and time involved.

Meanwhile Mr Tsogwane explained that his ministry has purchased over 30 vehicles this financial year which were allocated where there was a pressing need. Nonetheless, the minister promised to find a lasting solution to Kgosi Malope’s vehicle concern.

For his part the Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services Mr Prince Maele revealed that government was in the process of sourcing a loan from World Bank to replace the old water infrastructure for Kanye and other areas involved.

Mr Maele also informed the meeting that the North-South water carrier pipeline has stalled because of some farmers who were not willing to give way. ENDS