06 Feb 2019

Southern District Council (SDC) finance committee chairperson, Mr William Masibi has indicated the need for the council to develop and enforce own source of revenue strategies. 

“When we look into the budget, the implication posed by the ever shrinking revenue support grant, we realise we need to intensify revenue collection in order to combat the effect of our highly constrained budgets,” he said. 

He therefore urged the council to aggressively come up with planned and structured practical initiatives such as revival of Public Private Partnerships, investment committee, review of cost recovery fess, which included rigorous revenue collection, as well as follow up on arrears of revenue owed to the council. 

Presenting the recurrent budget at the special full council in  Kanye, Mr Masibi noted that the approved budget for 2019/2020 financial year in at SDC had been reduced by one  per cent from P392 776 690 to 390 406 690.00 as compared to the previous financial year 2018/2019. 

“The current proposal for the 2019/2020 financial year was P445 503 709, but after the budget consideration by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development we received P374 741 840,” he said. 

He indicated that in consideration of the current allocations, priorities had been given to personnel emoluments, which is inclusive of member’s terminal benefits and assistant community developments officers.

The vote stands at P216 311 300, which made 55.41 per cent of the budget. 

“Destitute relief represents 10 per cent and this has resulted in the council having a restricted budget on our existing priorities of maintenance of grounds and buildings at 2.43 per cent, and repairs to vehicles which is 1.74 per cent,” he said. 

When giving an update on the DDP8/NDP11 mid-term review for proposed projects, the Southern District economic planner Ms Kealeboga Kwailane said the refurbishment of Pitsane Dairy Plant was completed at P1 290 000 in the 2018/19 financial year. 

Ms Kwailane said the progress of networking cabling - LAN Extension with Wi-fi in schools showed that for 2018/19 financial year, 17 primary schools had been networked and provided with tablets and three junior secondary schools provided with tablets. 

She pointed that maintenance of Diratsame, Mathiba and Mogale junior schools were ongoing at the expenditure of about P8 674 858.

Ms Kwailane said junior secondary schools expansions were not yet funded, and noted that for Maiteko JSS staff housing, part of the expansion project, which started in the 2013/14 fiscal year, was abandoned by the contractor in 2015 at 25 per cent, adding that the issue had been handed to Government Implementation Coordination Office for intervention. 

Still on the review of the proposed projects, Ms Kwailane under said Kanye connection to North-South carrier project started in 2014//15 and it is currently at 78.9 per cent, with expenditure of P741 599 118.

She also said the Kanye sanitation project, which started in 2015/16, was at 51 per cent. 

“Under LAPCAS Progamme for the Ngwaketse Land Board, the total expenditure for the financial years 2017/18 and 2018/19 is P2 757 627. 

As at January 2019 progress was at 90 per cent, while that for Rolong Land Board progress was at 82 per cent.” she said. 

Under health services she said the construction, upgrading of health posts and clinics without maternity wing for Sebego, Gopong, Tswaaneng, Sekoma, Digawana, Lorolwane, Lorwana and Maokane, had not been funded. 

Ms Kwailane further highlighted that Moshupa Primary Hospital was ongoing and that construction tender was at evaluation stage, while the refurbishment of Good Hope Primary Hospital was also ongoing, adding that the outpatient bay and construction of dental wing were complete. 

“Projects under governance, safety and security such as Kanye Magistrate Court are complete while the establishment of semi– permanent court in Kanye has not yet been funded,” she said.  

She said Pitshane Molopo Police Station and staff houses were deferred to 2020/2021 financial year while Mmathethe Police Station and staff houses were funded though the projects had not yet started. ends