29 Nov 2020

The Deborah Retief Memorial Hospital in its dilapidated state makes it difficult for Kgatleng residents to enjoy access to quality health services.

This was said by Mochudi West MP Mr Mmusi Kgafela in his debate of the State-of-the-Nation Address on November 26.

Mr Kgafela who is also Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development said despite a new hospital being drafted into the national development plan, the old hospital never got an uplift and had been left in a sad state.

He stated that the sum of over P410 million was earmarked for the construction of the hospital and suggested a partnership model for the facelift of the hospital to make it more efficient to the ever-growing population of Kgatleng. 

Mr Kgafela advised that through private-public partnerships financiers were looking for a return on investment, adding that negotiations were ongoing for a possible partnership.

He raised a concern about the Tshele fuel storage project, saying the recent fuel shortage could have been avoided. He pleaded with the government to look carefully into the ongoing NPF case and its repercussions going forward.

Mr Kgafela said projects such as the North South Carrier water transfer scheme had the potential to create employment and urged young people to take advantage of it. He, however, expressed concern about the Masama Development Trust, saying the livestock component was lagging since the government pulled back.

For her part, Specially Elected MP Dr Unity Dow said Constitutional review should be done with a purpose not just for the sake of doing it.

She said there should be a clear set-out aim on what harm one wanted to prevent and what good one wanted to promote.

On electoral reforms, Dr Dow urged Parliament to consider reforms that would enthuse democracy into elections especially at primary elections level. She said political parties should promote at primary elections, participation of all persons including public officers.

She said a gender parity electoral system must be encouraged.

Dr Dow decried the country’s criminal justice system. She said the criminal procedure for white-collar crimes was still a challenge. She urged the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to get its act together before rushing to courts of law.

She urged the government to address the issue of land at legislative and policy level. 

MP for Serowe South Mr Leepetswe Lesedi expressed concern of unfulfilled promises by the ruling BDP government. 

He decried the sad state of roads in his constituency and said even untarred road networks needed upgrades.

He said the government was not providing any feedback on the dysfunctional service centres in his area. He also talked about an ambitious irrigation project for youth in Serowe which he said had stalled.

Mr Lesedi said the revised ISPAAD programme was not clear to most farmers. He called for the segregation of the central district council as it covered a wide area thus making the budget even impossible to manage. ends