01 May 2017

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Frans Van Der Westhuizen says the ministry will continue to build kgotla offices across the country through the Economic Stimulus Programme in the next three years of the programme.

Kgosi Tendani Manyiwa  had complained to the assistant minister that although he was a headman of records, he was not presiding over cases as a result of lack of facilities. including a court clerk.

In his response, the assistant minister noted that there was a shortage of kgotla offices across the country, and that from the beginning of ESP they were among projects given priority at the ministry.

He said the kgosi should expect to have an office in due course, adding that in the meantime they could facilitate for temporary offices so that services could continue to be given to the public while waiting the offices to be constructed.

In addition, Mr Van Der Westhuizen noted that the government has also established constituency funding which residents could use to build such offices, noting that the funds were going to be available for the next five years of the National Development Plan 11 (NDP11).

He added that it was upon the village leadership in conjunction with the council to come up with plans that could include such offices to be done through the P10 million funding.

He noted that there was confusion at the time of consultations for the funding in some areas while others believed that the money was meant for the areas to establish income generating projects.

He clarified that the funds were meant to be used in projects that could be done with such an amount within the village or constituency through the village leadership as well as village development committees and the council.

Earlier on, Kgosi Manyiwa had complained to the assistant minister that although they were appointed to leadership positions, they were not taken through an induction or orientation session to prepare them for the work ahead. He also requested to go and hear cases at other dikgotla.

He pleaded with the ministry to provide such training before giving dikgosi such responsibilities so that they could be able to serve communities as expected.

Meanwhile, the assistant minister also launched the transport to school initiative of donkey carts, and noted that it was government’s efforts to facilitate transport for pupils living far from schools with the aim of ensuring that access to education was increased especially in rural areas.

       He added that the government was aware of challenges faced by learners in rural areas in their pursuit of education.ENDS