20 Feb 2019

Mayor of Selebi Phikwe Town Council (SPTC), Mr Molosiwa Molosiwa has expressed discontentment over some able-bodied beneficiaries who are caught by what he called dependency syndrome.

Addressing a full council meeting on February 19, Mr Molosiwa said dependency syndrome by some able- bodied beneficiaries hindered them from graduation out of poverty despite the availability of various economic empowerment programmes.

He encouraged beneficiaries to graduate from social safety nets, citing that the government had recently launched the exit strategy programme and value chain book for the Poverty Eradication Programmes.

Mr Molosiwa said this intervention would help to ensure that beneficiaries got the necessary support in terms of input to their enterprises as well as being assisted in proper packaging, branding and delivery to markets.

He said while the strategy would significantly contribute to the sustainability of projects, it would also take citizens out of poverty and create the much needed jobs.

On other issues, Mr Molosiwa said the council was still experiencing a lot of potholes around town. 

This, he said, was due to the fact that all road networks in Selebi Phikwe had surpassed their life span and needed urgent re-sealing, which was impossible due to financial constraints.

The town, he said, was also having storm water drainage problem since the Storm Water Drainage Master Plan was partially implemented and as such, culverts structures at undeveloped areas were in a bad state.

However, Mr Molosiwa said some of the drains had been attended to through the constituency community project funding.

He further said the 2017/2018 constituency projects were complete except for construction of customary court project at Botshabelo.

Under the 2018/2019 constituency community projects, he said the council was undertaking 21 projects, seven of which were complete, 12 ongoing and one still at evaluation stage while one had been recently awarded.

These projects, he said were planned and anticipated to be completed by end of the financial year. ENDS