28 Feb 2019

 Parliament has thrown its weight behind the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development’s 2019/2020 development and recurrent budget proposals of P1.7 billion and P6.4 billion respectively.

Contributing to the debate, Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi supported the ministry’s budget proposals and acknowledged the noble work that the ministry was doing in strengthening social development and providing access to municipal services.

He however pleaded with the ministry to go an extra mile in providing social support services for the old aged members of the community through establishing government-funded old age homes across constituencies.

Francistown South legislator highlighted the need for government to establish old age homes, noting that the current economic challenges no longer permits the young generation to fully care for the elderly as they have to fend for themselves.

“Today, in the modern society the number of children who care for their parents is becoming lower and lower and so the importance of old age homes is becoming important in our modern society as young people depart their homestead in need of employment,” he said.

Mr Mmolotsi said that research had proven that there were single senior citizens with no families, hence they were depressed and in need of company of their own kind.

Some senior citizens, he said were physically and mentally dependent, and needed someone to give them full attention and keep a constant check on them.

 He added that a well maintained and facilitated senior citizen home would provide them with proper medical care.

Mr Mmolotsi also pleaded with government to review the current Ipelegeng programme, questioning its sustainability as well as the input of the programme’s projects in the country’s infrastructural development.

He mentioned that even though the programme continued to address the plight of the poor through temporary employment, government needed to create permanent and sustainable employment opportunities that would sustain Batswana through periods of unfavourable economic hardships.

Specially elected MP, Mr Mephato Reatile also embraced the ministry’s proposal, noting that it was pleasing that the ministry’s social welfare programmes were  the only pillar of hope of many vulnerable and less privileged members of the society, particularly in poverty stricken rural areas.

Mr Reatile also applauded government for increasing the Ipelegeng budget in August 2018 by P110 million and remained adamant that the budget increase would have a positive impact in increasing the Ipelegeng employment quotas as well as the completion of projects.

MP for Letlhakeng/Lephephe, Mr Liakat Kablay decried lack of support on orphan care beneficiaries, stating that some beneficiaries in his constituency did not receive their social welfare benefits on time.

He further complained about  the criteria used during the Social and Community Development mass assessment camping, saying it sometimes rejects vulnerable individuals who cannot fend for themselves. ENDS