20 Jan 2019

Government is committed to addressing poverty and unemployment, especially among the youth.

Assistant Minister of Investment Trade and Industry Mr Moiseraele Goya, who is also Member of Parliament for Palapye, said this when addressing VDCs, residents, councillors, civil servants and employees from private and parastatal organisations at in Palapye recently.

He said President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi indicated in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year  that government would be guided by the national Vision 2036 pillars, National

Development Plan and National Transformation Strategy as well as the Economic Diversification Drive Strategy to eradicate poverty and create employment.  

He said a national Monitoring and Evaluation Framework that was in place to guide the nation in achieving the set objectives.

He also gave an update on some developments earmarked for Palapye, noting that Palapye had been declared one of the Special Economic Zones in the country.

Regarding  the health sector, Mr Goya said a new hospital with a capacity of 120 beds would be constructed under NDP 11.He said a plot had already been secured for the project in extension 10 and explained  that land had been reserved to set up two private hospitals namely Sidilega and Tati Riverside.

Mr Goya said that land servicing had been completed in Extension 11, saying that the last allocation of plots in Palapye was done in 2015 and the waiting list currently stood at 17 960.

He said the delay was due to the fact that the land had not yet been serviced due to lack of funds. Further, the assistant minister mentioned that a government enclave had been planned to be established in Palapye.

He said at BUIST, projects planned for the higher education institution included faculty buildings, library, student centre refectory and a data centre.

Mr Goya said Mmaphula Junior Secondary school would  be upgraded to a unified secondary school.

He said this would  reduce the pressure on Lotsane Senior Secondary School to admit pupils from all junior secondary schools in Palapye and surrounding villages.

Mr Goya also touched on coal beneficiation project planned for Palapye, indicating that plans were under way to set up an open pit mine to mine coal that would be used in power generation.

He said that some of the coal would be exported, saying government had installed a power generating capacity of 892MW against the electricity requirements of 587MW.

However, Morupule B Plant remains a concern as the plant is not operational.

This, he said, meant that government would continue augmenting power shortage through imports until the Morupule A refurbishment was complete and operational.

He also mentioned that a private firm was in the process of setting up another power plant in the area.  He added that a project to convert or produce liquid fuel, gas, plastic and other products from coal was on the cards. Ends