28 Jan 2020

Nata/Gweta MP, Mr Polson Majaga, says citizen empowerment remains one of government priorities.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Gweta recently, Mr Majaga said when development projects commence in villages, preference for employment should be given to inhabitants of the areas where the project is undertaken.

He was responding to residents’ concern that projects undertaken in their village were done by contractors from outside.

He stated that development projects must benefit residents in those areas, adding that government encouraged that residents should be employed, unless they lacked required expertise.

Furthermore, Mr Majaga said transparency was also encouraged and for interviews to be done at the kgotla.

He discouraged them against getting themselves employed in secret, only to come out to complain when the company disappeared without paying them.

The MP thus encouraged them to register companies, which would be considered for projects within their communities and employ their people.

Meanwhile, the assistant council secretary, Mr Uyapo Mafunye, said the council facilitated tendering processes, allocation and monitoring of the project implementation.

He further said some tenders were open to all Batswana across the country.

Mr Mafunye, however highlighted that some tenders were reserved for residents, therefore they should tender.

He said it had come to their attention that residents wrote acknowledgement letters and even gave contractors from outside their physical addresses so that they could tender for projects meant to be done by Batswana.

He emphasised that council was not mandated to force companies or contractors to pay their employees, but it paid companies on time so that they pay their employees on time as well. ENDS