08 Jul 2018

 Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Mr Ngaka Ngaka has informed his constituents that his added responsibilities as a government minister would now mean that he would not be able to address kgotla meetings in their areas as often as he did as an ordinary Member of Parliament.

Speaking in kgotla meetings at various villages across the constituency, Mr Ngaka informed them that government ministers worked as civil servants and were often busy even when Parliament was on break.

“Parliament sits three times a year and whenever it goes on a break, Members of Parliament have time to visit their constituencies, but that is not the case with ministers as they have to be available full time to assist the President,” he said.

He however, informed them that it di not mean he had neglected them as he would find time to attend to their needs as his constituents.

On other issues, Mr Ngaka said plans were underway to electrify four out of the six villages in Takatokwane constituency that did not have electricity.

He said electrification of Metsibotlhoko was already underway while the same was expected to start at Tsetseng soon.

He said electrification of Sorilatholo, which was supposed to be done through the Economic Stimulus Programme had been shelved while still awaiting funds.

At Khekhenye, he said the village would be connected to the national grid from the nearby Motokwe village although he said that some tendering process hiccups had delayed the project.

Mr Ngaka advised residents to renew their Omang cards well in time to be able to register for general elections next month.

He said that it was vital to register as this time around, there would not be any supplementary registration, and that the Department of Civil and National Registration had made a commitment that by end of next month, all expired Omang cards countrywide would have been renewed to enable all those eligible to register for general elections to do so.

At Tshwaane, Mr Ngaka advised residents to prepare business management plans so that they would be in a position to apply for farms that would soon be allocated between Tshwane and Khekhenye.

He said the farms could have been advertised last year, but that failed because they were not demarcated properly.

“Government has a desire to develop infrastructure such as roads and electricity to farms, but the proposed farms were demarcated without any consideration for such future developments, hence a decision to correct that anomaly,” he said.

Mr Ngaka also advised the constituents to apply for the farms as syndicates rather than individuals to boost their chances of being allocated. ENDS