28 May 2019

MP for Francistown West, Mr Ignatius Moswaane has lambasted Monarch Phase VI Village Development Committee (VDC) for not only sabotaging developments in his area. 

Addressing a kgotla meeting at Francistown’s Phase VI on Monday, he said he was not happy at all in the manner in which the committee, which was not present in the meeting, was conducting itself. He explained that the committee failed several times to prepare for his kgotla meetings. He also accused them of making some changes without the consent from him or his office.

MP Moswaane cited that recently he held a meeting with all the VDCs in the constituency, but only the Phase VI committee failed to attend without giving any reasons. He said the meeting was to discuss issues concerning the developments, in particular a shopping mall to be built in Phase VI through constituency fund. 

He explained a move by the committee not to attend such an important meeting was meant to sabotage developments in the area. He further said the committee failed to attend another meeting he called and instructed those in attendance not to discuss nor talk to him about developments in the ward.

He advised residents to elect responsible people who would  represent the interest of the people not their own. Mr Moswaane further stated that the committee went on to change the plan for the construction of the ward administration centre.

He said the initial plan was that the block of offices comprised of four rooms, two offices, a conference room, two water system toilets, but such a plan was changed to a two-roomed house estimated at a cost of P400 000, which makes him suspect corruption.

Mr Moswaane vowed that the committee would have to explain why it did not attend his meetings despite being invited on time or face the music of dissolution. 

He said what the committee was doing was to disrespect to him and the residents of the ward who elected the committee. 

During the meeting, it was said that the VDC chairperson was in Rakops, the vice chairperson the and treasurer had gone to the clinic while other members were held up in personal commitments. However, during the course of the meeting, the vice chairperson Mr Comfort Maselino arrived and apologised to the MP for not attending to his kgotla meeting because he had received the invitation late. 

Mr Moswaane also informed the meeting that a decision had been taken to construct two shopping malls at Gerald Estate and Monarch through the constituency fund, each at a cost  of P5 million. He said the malls would generate funds for the VDCs of the two areas, adding that they were still awaiting the allocation of a plot in Monarch. 

He also informed the meeting that discussions were underway to adjust Ipelegeng workers’ allowances from the current P500 and that he had suggested that the allowance be increased to P800. 

He said the same goes with VDC allowances, which he said was low.

He said VDC committees deserved better allowances because of their immense contribution to the development of the country. 

Mr Moswaane also explained that government was considering adjusting wages for domestic workers to be at par with the current life situation. 

He explained that government also considered salary adjustments for civil servants because it could not do so in the past eight years due to the world economic recession, which affected prices of minerals and led to the closure of the BCL mine in Selibe Phikwe.

However, he said since 2016 the economy was now emerging from the woods as evidenced by the introduction of the Economic Stimulus Programme. 

He told the residents that the budget parliamentary session allocated Youth Development Fund (YDF) P120 million, which was not enough if each applicant was to request the maximum grant of P100 000. 

He told the residents that plans to construct a road linking Gerald Estate to Aerodrome was at tender stage.

He also said he wanted to see Monarch having a fully-fledged police station as opposed to the current satellite police station to counter the ever increasing crime in the area. He appealed with residents to embrace new technologies and establish crime prevention WhatsApp groups. ends