29 Jul 2018

The Letlhakeng Sub Council Chairperson, Mr Tlotlo Batlhophi has urged the area councillors to always respect time during council sittings to enable smooth proceedings.

Officially closing the sub council sitting on July 27, Cllr Batlhophi said it was of grave concern that council business could be disrupted due to lack of a quorum just because some councillors reported late.

He stressed that a sub council sitting was such an important forum that some councillors could be forced to abandon other important engagements such as kgotla meetings by area members of parliament.

He said it was therefore embarrassing for the meetings to be delayed by late coming.

Cllr Batlhophi also encouraged fellow councillors to make it a habit to research issues thoroughly and separate the truth from rumours before bring ward matters before the council.

“You have civil servants through whom you can run issues and confirm their authenticity. Such would also help reduce the differences that often occur between yourselves and the civil servants during council sessions,” he said.

He also advised the councillors that as parents, they should be brave enough to own up issues when they address their constituents, rather than shift the blame elsewhere or abandoning the council proceedings and disrupting business.

“You should be brave enough to accept anything, whether good or bad. As the chairperson, I am always available to help iron out any differences that may exist between yourselves,” he said.

On the other hand, Cllr Batlhophi also urged the civil servants to play their part by timely responding to councillors’ concerns and enquiries to ensure cordial relations. He said that it was vital that civil servants always be transparent and share any challenges with councillors so that they can appreciate them.

He also pleaded with the office of the Deputy District Commissioner to liaise with departments tasked with driving poverty eradication programmes to ensure the smooth service delivery. ENDS