07 Jun 2018

The growing number of wards is a concern in Serowe, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Develoment, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse has said.

Mr Autlwetse who was addressing a kgotla meeting at Botalaote ward recently said such a trend should not be encouraged as it could stretch development assistance. He said there were instances where a small village would have many wards with few people in each, noting that the issue needed to be addressed urgently. He said instead of breaking away from other wards, people should grow the wards for them to prosper.

Mr Autlwetse said government respected dikgotla as pillars of democracy and as such should be notched and developed accordingly. The assistant Minister was responding to a plea, which was made by Kgosi Ontifile Motalaote of Botalaote Ward in Serowe. Kgosi Ontifile noted that there were wards which were formed from existing ones, adding that, it was worrisome as it had the potential to tarnish the image of bogosi. On another issue the Serowe North legislator said through the constituency fund, residents could develop internal roads.

He said it was difficult for Serowe to develop as it had few access roads within the residential areas, adding that even access road to most wards were not there. Mr Autlwetse said it was even difficult to attract investors to the village. He also had the opportunity to thank his constituents, for having voted for him in 2014, making him, the most voted for Member of Parliament. The assistant minister said he had partnered with the World Group of Companies, to provide every child in his constituency with a full uniform.

“So far, I have provided uniform to students at Gojwane, Majwanaadipitse, Serule, Tshimoyapula, Topisi and Paje, I will be visiting Moreomabele and Mabeleapudi. After that, I will be doing that to students in Serowe,” he said. Residents complained that perpetrators of stock theft were always given bail, only to come and terrorise them again. They suggested that habitual offenders be denied bail.

They also complained that landboards allocated lands on the access roads leading to their fields. ENDS