24 Sep 2017

Minister of Basic Education, Dr Unity Dow has appealed to public servants under the Shoshong administrative authority to work as a team and amicably resolve challenges affecting service delivery.

Dr Dow said adopting the concept of “one government” where departments shared limited resources would solve challenges that cut across the public service.

She was responding to concerns raised by public officers at a meeting addressed by a delegation of Cabinet ministers on September 21 in Shoshong.

Ministers were dispatched by President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama to attend to issues raised by public servants in the area during a previous meeting addressed by him.

Dr Dow said failure to share available resources and personnel hindered timely resolutions to minor challenges.

She said challenges such as the blockage of drainage system and the maintenance of photocopying machines could be easily attended to by other officers from relevant departments based in the district.

She said a proactive approach to problems relating to maintenance of facilities and other administrative issues would improve service delivery and eliminate unnecessary complaints from public servants.

Representatives of different ministries in the Shoshong administrative area had raised complained about shortage of accommodation, office space, water and transport.

Lack of progression and staying in one area for long periods by some employees were also among the concerns.

Responding on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Minister Dorcas Makgato admitted that public servants under her ministry had challenges, and that some were due to shortage of funds.

She attributed the shortage of nurses’ uniform to delays in getting the specified fabric.

Minister Makgato also stated that her ministry was experiencing a backlog in replacing boarded vehicles, noting that close to 300 vehicles had been replaced while 785 would be restored.

She said vehicle distribution would focus on areas with a dire need for transport.

“We are aware of your challenges and we are working on a long-term solution to deal with them,” she said.

On employees lack of progression, Ms Makgato said the ministry was still designing a new organisational structure.

On shortage of nurses at clinics, she explained that the policy position was that each health post must have two nurses.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Ms Shenaaz El-Halabi said the Shoshong Clinic would be upgraded to a level one hospital through the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP), and that the project package would include 25 staff houses.

A presentation from the health ministry in Shoshong stated that the cluster which included settlements and ranches operated with one ambulance and one vehicle.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Slumber Tsogwane said the fighting of bats staying in ceilings of school facilities and staff houses was ongoing.

He, however, said the project was hindered by shortage of funds.

Since the population of bats was increasing, Mr Tsogwane said a permanent solution would be to remove the ceiling and fill the cracks the bats used to enter the roof.

Minister Tsogwane said training of employees was ongoing and included the lower cadres.

He noted that P9 million was reserved for training in the current financial year.

On issues of land management, water and sanitation services, Assistant Minister Itumeleng Moipisi said the ministry had three public relations officers based at Mahalapye, Palapye and Serowe.

He said the ministry was in the process of establishing customer care units at all district offices.

Ms Emily Kgotlaesele, presenting on behalf of the ministry employees, appealed for the appointment of a customer care officer at Shoshong Sub-land Board. ENDS