09 Jan 2020

Vice President Slumber Tsogwane has  enumerated government plans to improve the economy.

Speaking in a kgotla meeting in Makalamabedi yesterday, Mr Tsogwane said government aimed to promote smart agriculture by encouraging farmers to plough plants that could withstand harsh climatic conditions.

In an endeavour to adapt to climate change and mitigate its effects, a climate change policy had been put in place.

He said it emphasised among others safe disposal of waste, use of products that would not cause air pollution and combating deforestation.

In addition, Mr Tsogwane said in efforts to promote an export-led economy, government planned to focus on technological transformation and enhance economic growth, citing local invention of a solar automated car, as well as trading in knowledge.

He said government planned to cut red tape in an effort to ease doing business such as reducing turnaround time for business registration and introducing online business registration to improve competitiveness.

He said plans were also   afoot to upgrade small medium enterprises as well as to review the Economic Diversification Drive (EDD).

Mr Tsogwane stated that as midterm review of National Development Plan (NDP) 11 was approaching, there was need to augment EDD and introduce economic diversification inclusive growth.

He said government intended to ensure availability and accessibility of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in all villages.
The vice president also revealed that ministries would be rationalised and establish the relevance of services offered.

Furthermore, Mr Tsogwane disclosed government’s aims to establish a service centre in Rakops to provide services to neighbouring villages adding that funds would be solicited from the private sector to support its establishment.

He revealed that though the Motopi-Makalamabedi access road had been funded, construction was delayed by tendering procedures.

Mr Tsogwane informed residents that Tshomarelo Trust would help them with tractors for ploughing and that they would not be charged fuel costs.

The vice president was responding to the Village Development Committee chairperson,  Mr Letsogile Jane who had complained that the long promised Makalamabedi-Motopi access road had not materialised.

Mr Jane also complained about the slow progress on construction of the clinic project adding that the Makalamabedi Clinic was dilapidated.

In Motopi, the VDC chairperson complained that most of the 2017 projects had not started explained that most residents had Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development approval letters dating back to 2017 but no livestock. He also requested an ambulance, a staff room and more  classrooms at the local primary school.

In response, the Principal Environmental Health Officer, Ms Ibeni Mahuma said they did not have a clinical waste vehicle to transport waste to the incinerator in Rakops.

Responding to residents’ complaints that their fields had turned into elephant kraals, Mr Motingwa Motingwa, a wildlife warden, said a deterrent webbing system had been identified to help scare away the animals. ENDS