09 Aug 2017

Government programmes and sound economic management has made the country achieve many national milestones and has seen the country survive debilitating effects of the economic crunch, Kweneng district commissioner, Dr Themba Mmusi has said.

He said though there was a challenge of competing national development priorities for funding, that had not stopped government to continue funding arrays of social safety nets programmes such as food baskets for destitute and orphans’ food baskets, old age pension, WWII veterans meant to improve lives of Batswana.

Addressing Gakgatla residents, he said his visit was to ensure that Batswana were given relevant information on how to improve their lives through arrays of government programmes availed to them and check on development projects they needed.

He encouraged residents to utilise government empowerment programmes such as poverty eradication, ISPAAD, use Ipelegeng to develop their village and encourage their children to make use of Youth Development Fund to fight unemployment.

He said YDF was meant to engage youth in productive services to avoid engaging in social ills which was detrimental to their lives.

He said though Ipelegeng was not a permanent employment, many have been able to make ends meet as the P567 allowance reduced over-dependence on government handouts, while at the same time those engaged in the programme participated in carrying out developments in their areas.

On other issues, Dr Mmusi said he was computing list of department’s fleet lying idle in many government offices, the situation he said was affecting service delivery in the district as the vehicles which could be used to continue government service were not maintained and left to wear out.

He promised residents to seek answers and give feedback on all their concerns raised.

Regarding Poverty Eradication Assessment, he called on residents to appreciate that thorough assessment and determination should be done on potential beneficiaries so that only deserving destitute persons benefited.

Meanwhile, residents expressed concerns about employment secrecy and criterion used by some companies which were engaged through ESP in the village, but village Kgosi Moshapa said employment criterion was agreed in a Kgotla meeting.

He said the residents agreed that those who have volunteered in development of the village be given a priority to encourage people to start participating in development of the village.  

They were however grateful for connection to the national electricity grid, construction of Kgotla offices through ESP as well as opening of the village clinic over the weekend, and regular visit by a doctor. ENDS