05 Apr 2017

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Slumber Tsogwane says splitting Central District Council (CDC) will have financial implications on government coffers.

Responding to some CDC councillors during a full council meeting Tuesday, who proposed for the split of the largest council that boasts 174 councillors, Mr Tsogwane said the decision to split the council was not a difficult task but it would be financially crippling at the moment.

He dismissed as untrue allegations by some  councillors that government did not want to split the council because they feared curtailing the Ngwato chieftainship influence in some districts.

He however, called on proponents of the split not to despair but continue advocating for their cause though it was not feasible at the material time.

Mr Tsogwane who was hailed by Vice President Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi as a true advocate of councillors’ welfare also told councillors that the P1 200 monthly housing allowance was a starting point and the allowance in question was subject to review like other allowances.

However, some councillors expressed dissatisfaction at what they termed ‘meager’ allowance and wanted to be on the same scale as members of parliament. Councilors argued that like members of parliament, they too were elected political office bearers who deserved a treatment equivalent to that of MPs.

In fact, councillors argued that they were closer and in contact with ordinary people than MPs. On other issues, Mr Tsogwane informed CDC that they would receive constituency funds guidelines in two weeks.

The guidelines would spell out the use of funds and the projects to be undertaken. He cleared that constituency fund was meant for communities small projects but not for money generating projects like tuckshops. Mr Tsogwane said he had anticipated that communities would come up with projects before dividing the funds.

He also said that it was not mandatory to divide the funds equally among the wards but, to allocate funds to projects based on needs. ENDS