01 Feb 2017

The South East District (SEDC) councillors have approved a P164.95 million budget proposal for the 2017/18 financial year.

Nonetheless, the councillors during a full council session on Friday said that they were keeping their fingers crossed to have the budget proposal approved. Councillor Semakaleng Sebogodi of Lesetlhana said the council need more money to deal with issues of storm water drainage affecting the whole district.

She said the situation was worsened by lack of storm water drainage system as well as lack of access roads adding that Ramotswa becomes inaccessible during rainy seasons.

While Councillor Kgabo Mabotseng of Magopane said councillors need to be empowered on budgeting so that they could make meaningful contributions on budget. He complained that more often budget proposals were rushed through the council denying them an opportunity to prioritise on important projects, a move he said does not help the council.

Councillor Mabotseng further decried poor delivery of council projects by youth contractors. He said rates collection which could be helping the council to generate more revenue had been dragging for a long time to the disadvantage of the council.

Earlier when proposing the budget, the chairperson of finance and audit committee Councillor Kedibonye Batlang proposed a P164.96 budget which consisted of P12.32 as income and P152.6 as revenue support grant.

Ms Batlang said the largest portion of the budget would go towards personnel emoluments and the remaining balance would go to running, establishment and special expenses.

Council secretary, Mr Leboile Israel conceded that the issue of storm water drainage was giving the council sleepless nights.

He however gave the councillors some hope saying the council had requested about P30 million to address the challenge of the storm water drainage.

He said the money was a significant amount compared to what the council had previously.

On other issues, Mr Israel said the council has submitted its input on raft rates regulation and they were awaiting the ministry.

However he said they were hoping that the approved rates regulations would be availed before the beginning of the next government financial year. BOPA