06 Dec 2017

Kgatleng District Council chairperson, Mr Mpho Morolong says four kilometres of drainage lining has been planned for Morwa and Mochudi to address drainage challenges.

Addressing the full council meeting on Monday, Mr Morolong said to date 3.34 kilometres had been completed and would include covering of Rural Administration Centre drainage, which is now used as parking by workers and clients.

He added that the project commenced early May and was anticipated to be completed end of February 2018.

“Through the fuel levy fund, we will also do a few storm water drains within the district.

De-silting of drains is carried out in conjuction with Ipelegeng and we are waiting for a response from the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development regarding an engagement on the implementation of the Mochudi storm water drainage master plan,” he said.

He also noted that funds had been secured to address water shortage at Bokaa and Ramotlabaki, adding that the projects were at tender evaluation stage.

He noted that a short term intervention of water bowsing would continue to augment supply in the affected villages.

He told the house that projects to be implemented under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) during the 2017/2018 financial year had been unbundled into 10 projects while seven of them had started and were at various stages of construction at substructure level while the other three were still being adjudicated after Appeal.

The projects involve construction of staff houses, pupils’ toilets and classrooms at Ramotlabaki, Leshibitse, Artesia and Seingwaeng primary schools.

On RADP houses, Mr Morolong said all the six houses that were allocated to the district for construction at Kgomodiatshaba had been completed and handed over to beneficiaries except one which needed rectification of boundary fence.

He said the district was bedeviled by damaged roads both under central government and council.

“This is a result of lack of funds coupled with old and ailing machinery.

The only bull dozer that we use to mine gravel at Dikgonnye has been down and this has negatively impacted our spot improvement implementation plan.

We are however in the process of procuring a tipper truck and grader through the fuel levy fund,” he said.

 Regarding construction of a culvert along the Oodi-Matebele road at a tune of P4.6 million, the council chairperson said the tender had been awarded while contract signing has been scheduled.

He said maintenance of the four traffic junctions in the district had been transferred to Greater Gaborone Traffic Signaling Management Projects. He explained that the transport ministry was the custodians of the projects while financing was derived from the World Bank.

The project, which has been awarded a tender of P348 million, is expected to run for seven years.

“The first project encompasses the ‘Routine and emergency maintenance of signals.

The project is currently on going and expected to be completed by end of the financial year.

This will give way to a new project, which will overhaul the entire traffic signaling system within greater Gaborone area and incorporate a new centralised traffic control mechanism” he said.

On maintenance of traffic lights, he pleaded with members of the public to assist Mochudi Police Traffic Division by reporting perpetrators who habitually hit and damage streetlights.

Mr Morolong noted the operational challenges facing Pilane landfill given the common occurrence of fire break out.

“Currently there is a fire break out at the site, which started on November 13.

Even though the fire department acted swiftly to contain the spread of fire that had already engulfed the whole landfill, it is still smoldering,” he said.

He expressed concern at the growing trend of illegal dumping of waste by the road side and bus stops, especially refuse bags filled with used baby nappies.

“This trend is on the rise and it hinders our objective of keeping the environment clean,” he said.

In view of the newly introduced school feeding programme, he urged local farmers to help supply schools with fresh and up to standard vegetables including those farmers under the poverty eradication programme.

He said there was an emerging disturbing trend whereby primary schools were broken into and goods stolen.

He said of recent burglary occurred in Oodi, Matsieng, Pilane, and Rasesa primary schools where food stuff like cooking oil, jam, peanut butter were stolen.

On a positive note, he briefed the councillors about a signed grant contract amounting to $ 67 505 by Kgatleng District Council and the Japanese Embassy for the construction of a pre-school at Oodi.

He said 89 orphans were identified for a therapeutic retreat camp at Mokolodi Nature Reserve, which began on November 13 ending December 22.

Mr Morlolong encouraged councillors to share with the community information on special funding for students who had registered for assistance with the council and attained a minimum of 32 points in their examination.ENDS