25 Mar 2018

Parliament was told that for the past three financial years 2014/15 to 2016/17 the Boteti Sub-district did not underspend, but overspent.

Responding to a question in Parliament by Boteti East MP, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe, the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Frans Van Der Westhuizen said the sub-district’s budget was used for the purpose it was requested for in compliance to financial regulations and accounting instructions.

The assistant minister said the budget for the sub-district for the past three years was over P350 million while the expenditure was over P323 million.

He said the Sub Council Finance Committee monitors the warranted funds, adding that the committee has councilors as members who meet monthly to track expenditure on quarterly basis and books of Accounts are produced and feedback routed through the same structures.

Mr Van Der Westhuizen said the ministry did experience financial challenges towards the end of the financial years during the past few years due to insufficient budget to meet all the operational costs, but the issue of non-spending councils and departments did not arise.

He also said the shortage of funds negatively affected government clientele and constituents as services and required developmental needs were not fully funded.

MP Lelatisitswe had wanted to know the amount returned unused by the Boteti East Sub-council for the past three financial years, the reason why the money was not used as requested and the efforts by the councillors to ensure that the money was used.

He also wanted to know the action taken against non-spending councils and departments and how it had affected government clientele /constituents.ENDS