07 Jul 2019

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Frans van der Westhuizen says Mahalapye storm water drainage system is not in the current development plan.

The minister said this during a kgotla meeting addressed by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi on July 5.

Mr Van der Westhuizen was responding to Kgosi Duncan Segotsi who had during his welcomes remarks complained  that Mahalapye experienced flooding during rainy seasons.

Kgosi Segotsi also stated that the village bus rank was equally affected by rain water.

Minister Van der Westhuizen stated that despite flooding during the rainy season, the bus rank was also congested.

Therefore, he said, council had identified a suitable location for the facility.

He said the identified plot, located at Mowana ward, west of the A1 road, would be developed through a Private, Public Partnership model (PPP) and would  also include a shopping mall.

Responding to the chairperson of Umbrella Village Development Committee, Ms Oreediste Thwabi, the minister said the move to increase the numbers of Ipelegeng employees was taken in consideration that it was a drought year and as such most of the people did not harvest enough to sustain their families.

Last financial year, he said the annual budget for Ipelegeng allowances was P620 million and has increased to over P700 million for the current financial year.

Due to financial constraints, we could not increase committee members allowances, instead we budgeted for increased temporary workers, said Mr van der Westhuizen.

He also indicated that the Ipelegeng budget also catered for the provision of snacks to the employees.

“In the sub-district, we spend P164 140 on snack meals monthly,” he said.

The minister also added that the newly introduced breakfast meal at primary schools also impacted heavily on the ministry’s budget.

Meanwhile, Kgosi Segotsi said decried delay in opening of the old Mahalapye police station.

In response, defence, justice and security minister, Mr Shaw Kgathi said even though the refurbishment of the offices was long completed, a major discrepancy was noticed and therefore hindered the process of opening the police station.

Mr Kgathi said the old housing structures had developed major defects that required maintenance, adding that housing structures were also extended.

Mr Kgathi said the contractor doing maintenance works would hand over the completed project at the end of July and therefore assured the concerned residents that the old Mahalapye police station would be opened in August.

Minister Kgathi has also noted with concern that the village of Mahalapye continued to register an increase in criminal activities saying in 2016, Mahalapye registered 649 cases, 557 cases in 2017, 620 in 2091 criminals cases were register and since the beginning of the year to date 348 cases have been registered.

Mr Kgathi said the most challenging criminal activities were housebreaking/burglary and rape.

He said in 2016, 96 rape cases were reported, while 83 cases of rape were recorded in 2017, 69 in 2018 and  since the beginning of the year, 54 rape cases have been reported.

Minister Kgathi, therefore, appealed to the community through religious group such as churches to hold prayer sessions and calm the concerning development.

On other issues, Mr Kgathi also informed the residents of Mahalapye that stock theft remained a challenge in the area and as such Kgomokhumo teams conducted operational at locations like Kalamare, Shakwe and Kodibeleng.

He further appealed to farmers to take care of their livestock.

With regards to open the old Mahalapye primary hospital, health and wellness minister, Dr Alfred Madigele said the facility was partly refurbished.

Dr Madigele said the outpatient area would be opened soon.

He also noted that there was a shortage of doctors in the area.

“We are engaging doctors from private health facilities to assist us. We have started with gynaecologists and would soon get general practitioners,” said Dr Madigele. ENDS