08 Jan 2020

Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane has expressed disappointment  that some projects were still at design stage with only weeks before the end of the financial year.

He was reacting to a report by Boteti senior assistant council secretary Mr Milton Keitshokile who had indicated that only two out 16 constituency projects  had been completed.

Speaking in Rakops Tuesday, during a meeting of the village leadership and departmental heads, Mr Keitshokile said  12 projects were at different stages of implementation while two were forgone in favour of completing a pipeline project.

Expenditure, he said, stood at P745 368.95.
 

Mr Tsogwane implored departmental heads to complete projects before taking on new ones.

He said it was better to request funding for incomplete projects rather than abandoning them.

The vice president expressed concern over local contractors’ failure to complete projects on time and the tendency of tenderers to hike prices which he said delayed progress and negatively affected government coffers.

Mr Tsogwane emphasised the importance of planning and advised the leaders to undertake projects that would make a significant impact on communities.

Identified projects should benefit the whole Boteti West community, he said.

He further advised them to take on projects that would have a return on investment and consider those that would bring services closer to the people.

He suggested that since available funds were inadequate for building a rural administration centre in Rakops, the money be used for putting up a service hall with staff houses.

The vice president pointed out that communities relied on heads of departments to help and advise them on development planning.

He said it was critical that each village had internet connection which would make a huge impact on the communities.

The meeting heard that  Boteti Southern Water Cluster project, which covers villages from Rakops to Mokobaxane, was delayed because of a protest that it would result in the relocation of some residents.

Tracing the history of project implementation since 2017/2018, Mr Keitshokile said that financial year, 25 constituency community projects were approved.

Out of the 25 projects,  22 were complete and under defects liability period, two, extension of Mmadikola Health Post and staff toilets were at 98 per cent physical completion stage.

Another project,  construction of Orapa Junior Secondary School dining hall, was at 80 per cent.

Expenditure stood at P8 330 406.98, he said.

Mr Keitshokile said during the 2018/19 financial year,  out of the 19 constituency projects approved for implementation, nine had been completed while eight were at different stages of implementation.

For that financial year, expenditure was P7 124 697.14. Ends