26 Mar 2019

Kweneng District councillors are not happy with the selection criteria for proposed projects in the Kweneng District Development Plan (DDP) 8 Midterm Review. 

Councillors among them Mogoditshane/Thamaga sub-council chairperson, Mr Dukes Mafhoko expressed dissatisfaction at the manner in which projects were prioritised, arguing that selection of critical projects identified at sub-district level was ignored 

Cllr Mafhoko said there were projects of great importance that were identified as major priorities, but felt officers responsible chose to sideline them as he felt priorities were biased towards specific areas. 

Presenting the district’ midterm review report, Kweneng District principal development officer Mr Kabelo Ntopo stated that following robust consultation  processes that involved village and consultations with various departments, they identified high impact projects that would impact on people’s lives. 

The emphasis, he said, had been that due to fund limitations and uncertain economic outlook, government decided to adopt the regional planning approach to help guide their planning. 

“It was against this background that priorities of projects were made basing on the ability of projects to create high impact on issues of population dynamics, Sustainable Development, Poverty Eradication as well as Local Economic Development as the most critical aspects”, stated Mr Ntopo. Consultation process, according to the district planners,  led to identification of five high priority projects, being Letlhakeng/Kaudwane road, design and construction of North-South Carrier Phase Two to Molepolole, Construction of a mini hospital in Letlhakeng, construction of Molepolole Police Station and 150 housing units as well as the construction of Molepolole sanitation project.  

Meanwhile, Kweneng deputy council secretary - administration and finance, Mr Tsholofelo Molaodi emphasised the need to have a common understanding of processes, adding that as the district ‘we make priorities that will only work as a guiding tool, but the decision for execution lies with relevant ministries to scrutinise according to ministerial needs’.

“We need to be reminded of the fact that it is our responsibility as a district to come up with own priorities that we believe will make an impact on the development of the district,” advised the deputy council secretary. 

He said the district’s responsibility was to facilitate, but the final word lies with ministries as it would also be guided by key national issues such as availability of funds. 

“What is in front of us is just a shopping list that will determine direction to be followed”, said Mr Molaodi

On the other hand Thamaga West Cllr Molatedi Selala proposed the need for consideration of priority projects that may allow design and construction to be carried out under the same planning period, arguing that history has it that delayed project undertaking result in changing of the project scope, leading to need for extra funding. 

Councillors were of the view that it took a long time before projects could be funded, leading to change in the scope of work, which results in additional funding before the actual construction could commence,

 Meanwhile, KDC principal economic planner Mr Letswalo Moesi advised that it would not be possible to do design and construction at the same time. 

The design, he said, was to be funded under the current planning period when funding for constriction may be considered at a later period as they were two separate and expensive exercise. ends