14 Aug 2013

The private sector has been implored to assist in filling the gap to ensure that service delivery to communities is not compromised.

Presenting the 2014/15 recurrent budget estimates before the Chobe District Council on August 8, the finance and works committee chairperson, Councillor Bobby Setlhare urged all stakeholders to ensure that the proposed P90 374 280 budget was put to productive use despite falling far from meeting the demands and needs of the council. 

“This will challenge our implementation capacity and we must ensure that these resources are allocated to meet the highest priorities,” he cautioned.

Cllr Setlhare encouraged them not to give up but re-strategise and re-prioritise their service delivery plans for the benefit of their communities.

The council chairman, Cllr Mwanota Kachana highlighted that the preparation of the budget was a critical activity undertaken annually to enable them to execute their mandate as a local authority.  

“At the same time, the exercise enables us to review ways through which we can raise income to augment the Revenue Support Grant that we get from central government,” he said. 

Councillors were unanimous on the need to raise funds as a local authority to augment their funds allocation. 

“What we need is to understand which channels to explore in trying to raise these funds as some are outside our jurisdiction,” Cllr Kebareeditse Ntsogotho of Khwai/Mababe opined. 

The deputy council secretary, Mr Thatayothe Balapi emphasised the need for private sector participation, adding that people had a tendency to believe that council was capable of doing everything on its own, something he said could not be further from the truth. ENDS