24 Sep 2017

Declaring Palapye a township comes with costs, says Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Slumber Tsogwane.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Palapye on September 22, Mr Tsogwane said he was aware that residents of Palapye wanted it declared a township given the developments taking place in the area.

He said although the Local Government Act gave him power to declare Palapye a township, there was need for consultation with the community so that they understood how that would change their lives.

The minister said the change came with costs since residents and business owners would be required to pay rates to enable the council to raise funds to develop the area.

Business owners, he said, would not only be required to pay rates, but a higher amount for their licenses as well.

He also noted that land allocation would no longer be done by the land board, but by the town council at a cost.

Mr Tsogwane, who is also the MP for Boteti West, urged Palapye residents to deliberate on the issue so that they understood the implications in declaring Palapye a township.

He said it was important for the community to understand how the move would change their lives or the way they had been doing things.

On other issues, he implored the community to always clean their surroundings and ensure that they disposed waste in a proper manner.

He said although the council assisted with litter picking, it was the responsibility of the community to keep the environment clean to avoid pollution and diseases.

The minister encouraged the community to hold monthly clean-up-campaigns as well as competitions to motivate people to keep their surroundings clean.

Palapye Administrative Authority chairperson (PAA), Mr Lesedi Phuthego said it was time Palapye was declared a township so that it could have its own budget.

He noted that the Central District Council shared its limited budget with seven sub-districts, Palapye inclusive.

Mr Phuthego also said Palapye Sub-district was unable to undertake development projects because of financial constraints, and that declaring it a township would enable the council to collect rates and carry out developments.

He invited Mr Tsogwane to discuss the issue further with PAA councillors.

He, however, acknowledged the importance of consulting the community before the matter was made final.

Senior assistant council secretary, Mr Lucky Maoto also acknowledged that cleanliness standards had deteriorated, calling for the community to join hands with the council to clean Palapye.

He said transfer stations constructed by the council to dispose litter had been vandalised hence the council came to a decision to phase them out, and urged the community to take care of the environment. ENDS