20 Aug 2017

Kgosi Lekang Motowane of Sesung in the Letlhakeng Sub District has appreciated government for the construction of the kgotla office in his village. 

In his welcome remarks at a kgotla meeting addressed by Kweneng District Commissioner, Dr Temba Mmusi on Friday, Kgosi Motowane said the office, which was constructed through the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) was an answer to the villagers’ cry as they have been requesting it for many years. 

He said the office will now ensure smooth service delivery on tribal administration affairs, even though it needs furniture. 

Kgosi Motowane however, complained of what he called lack of consultation by both the Letlhakeng Sub Council and Sub-landboard on the usage of the local burrow pit, which he said has been handed to a construction company without the knowledge of the community. 

For his part, the Deputy District Commissioner for Letlhakeng, Mr Boammaaruri Otlhogile indicated that at the beginning of next month, a kgotla meeting will be called by relevant departments to address the issue. 

He said the burrow pit was currently used by a company doing the Mphuthe Junior School ESP project after requesting permission from the council, but that the issue of displeasure on usage by the villagers only surfaced when the contractor wanted to collect some gravel. 

He said complaints by the community were that the village’s old graveyard was within the area where the burrow pit was located. 

Meanwhile Dr Mmusi advised that the issue of the burrow pit had to be addressed quickly, and that the community deserved to get a share of the proceeds if it was leased as it was within their locality. 

On other issues, Dr Mmusi raised a complaint on failure by the youth to service their loan component under the Youth Development Fund (YDF). 

He said YDF was a revolving fund and failure to service the loan made it difficult to assist any further applicants. 

He also said the issue of shortage of furnisher at the new kgotla office had been noted and will be addressed when funds permit. 

Dr Mmusi also advised residents to take education of their children seriously as he said the national average pass mark had dropped, mainly due to lack of parents’ participation. 

For his part, the Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Gakeone Radingaka complained of the dilapidated school fence, which he said leads to animals roaming the school even during lessons time. 

He also said that most classrooms were without windows, which he said affected students especially during harsh weathers such as winter. 

Mr Radingaka also called for a caravan at the local clinic to augment shortage of office space. 

He however, appreciated the intake of poverty eradication programmes in the village even though he said beneficiaries who have been given goats had nowhere to water their goats ever since the Department of Bye-law Enforcement indicated that all domestic animals should be removed from villages. 

The kgotla meeting by Dr Mmusi was meant to share with residents information on various government programmes such as YDF, Poverty Eradication, ISPAAD, ESP and various social welfare allowances.ENDS