01 Feb 2018

Chairperson of the finance and general purpose committee in the North East District Council, Mr Dumani Kelepi says the district will, during the 2018/2019 financial year, run with a recurrent budget of P165 751 140.

Giving a recurrent budget brief at a full council meeting on Wednesday, Councillor Kelepi said the allocated amount was P16 million less than the tentative budget they had prepared, however stating that the cut was necessary due to government’s limited resources.

He stated that the 2018/2019 budget experienced a growth of four per cent from last year’s allocated budget.

Mr Kelepi further stated that a total of about P8.4 million was income from the council’s own sources, while the remaining amount is the revenue support grant.

The councillor informed the session that they had highlighted areas of priority as they are of major concern being maintenance of grounds and buildings, relief of destitute persons, food and accommodation, school stationery and maintenance of roads.

He said the civil and mechanical department would get the largest share of P30 322 210 or 18 per cent of the recurrent budget to cater for maintenance of roads and culverts.

Mr Kelepi stated that social and community development would get the second largest share of P26 107 660 or 16 per cent to cater for food and accommodation as well as increase of beneficiaries under social welfare programme and Village Development Committee allowances.

He said a decrease of 51 per cent in interest and investment, which he attributed to a decrease in project funding, was expected.

He said it was necessary to forgo some activities and put more emphasis on the needs of the district.

He said they had been talking about identifying new sources of revenue for a long period of time, adding that the time to act was now.

Responding to the budget, councillors Mathodi Modisapodi and Mothusi Nakedi said there was need to emphasise the importance of protecting orphaned children as some of them were without proper uniform.

The councillors said this called for proper monitoring to ensure that programmes and services meant to assist orphans were well managed. ENDS