22 Sep 2013

Residents of Serinane in the Letlhakeng Sub-district have been advised to take advantage of poverty eradication programmes.

Addressing a kgotla meeting at the village recently, the Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Dr Gloria Somolekae advised residents that such programmes were meant to emancipate people from poverty and not lull them into dependence.

Dr Somolekae said it was the desire of the government to see the number of Ipelegeng beneficiaries declining, saying it would be an indication that poverty eradication programmes were succeeding.

She said due appreciation had to be given to civil servants for assisting the public with services, adding that members of the community should not just criticise civil servants unnecessarily as it had the potential to dampen their morale. She urged members of the public to be patient as some delays were not due to lack of commitment by public servants.

“I am aware that there are some civil servants that may lack commitment when assisting you, but such behaviour should not be used to paint the whole civil service as others are really trying hard to assist you,” she said.

Dr Somolekae was responding after residents complained about poor service delivery by civil servants. However, she was satisfied with the responses from the civil servants, noting that some delays were a matter of procedure and not poor service delivery.

She promised residents that the issue of water shortage would be taken up with relevant authorities. This was after the VDC chairperson, Mr Wabone Studumane informed her that water shortage was the main hindrance in the success of poverty eradication programmes such as backyard gardens and LIMID.

Mr Studumane said there were only two boreholes in the area managed by some syndicates, which he said was not enough to be used by the whole village. He also said residents had shown interest in backyard gardens, adding that were it not for water shortage, the gardens would be flourishing. Mr Studumane said Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) last made domestic water connections in June.

However, the senior assistant council secretary for Letlhakeng, Mr Gobe Mudongo said they had written a letter to WUC requesting to use additional boreholes in the area and were still awaiting their response.

One resident, Mr Kemmonye Kgokong blamed the failure of poverty eradication programmes on the laziness of residents, saying there were instances where beneficiaries of such projects abandoned them. He said even though poverty was rife in the village, the situation could be better if people took such programmes seriously and warned that if the residents continue with the mentality, poverty would continue to ravage their village. ENDS