26 Nov 2020

Charleshill sub-district council chairperson, Mr Baduetse Setswalo has implored fellow councillors to continue lobbying for the establishment of more businesses in the sub-district.

Speaking during a sub-district council session on Tuesday, Mr Setswalo said   the private sector in the sub-district was ‘very dormant and not aggressive’.

He therefore challenged councillors to lobby for the establishment of more businesses, especially of goods and services, which were being procured from outside the sub-district such as motor spares, vehicle servicing, stationery and protective clothing.

“I pledge, with your support of course, to restore the dignity of the sector and improve its participation in the local economy,” he stated.

Giving an update on Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency’s (CEDA) investment outlook in the sub-district, he said between April and November, a total of P3. 2 million was approved to fund 30 businesses.

These businesses, he said, included the agribusiness sector, the services sector as well as businesses in the manufacturing sector and had created 45 jobs.

Mr Setswalo said through Letlhabile, which focuses on uplifting the informal sector, the agency approved 106 applications valued at P577 355, for the entire Ghanzi district, adding that applications valued at P199 900 were from Charleshill sub-district.

He said he would like all Village Development Committees (VDCs) to be robust with their village development priorities and significantly contribute towards building prosperous and purposeful communities. 

 He said he had tasked the Community Development and Economic Planning departments to facilitate the transition.

“An active VDC should be able to identify, discuss and prioritise local needs, develop a plan of action for their village area, solicit the assistance of donors and other development agencies and accelerate village development projects and initiatives,” he stated.

Mr Setswalo said in order for VDCs to exercise their mandate they should be conversant with both district and national priorities; have fully fledged offices with information and communications technology equipment and proper furniture; be fully capacitated on development planning and other competencies such as decision making, team work, and leadership.

He said there was need to modernise the operations of VDCs, to make them relevant and aligned to the aspirations of becoming a knowledge-based economy. 

 “Surely VDCs cannot successfully coordinate village developments when the integrity of their offices is undermined, when they do not have a computer, a printer, internet, office telephone line, and office furniture; just these basic but important items and accessories,” he stated

Nominated councillor, Mr Thato Tshweneyagae hailed the chairperson’s speech, saying it addressed the aspirations and challenges of the nation and concurred that the private sector in the sub-district ‘should emerge from its deep slumber’.  

Councillor for Kalkfontein, Kealeboga Gaebuse regretted that the sub-district was not exploiting opportunities presented by the Trans Kalahari Highway and implored the sub-council to bring the sub-land board on board regarding the issue. Ends