31 Jan 2021

The North East District Council has suspended major maintenance works for schools during the 2021/22 financial year.

Delivering the 2021/22 budget proposals at a special full council sitting recently, the Finance and General Purpose Committee chairperson, Councillor Kudzani Tobokwani stated that the suspension was intended to help government revitilise and cushion the economy from COVID-19.

He said the budget was tight, hence it was important to allocate resources with great care.

To further reduce costs, he said the majority of the council’s old vehicles had been auctioned to save on fuel costs.

Councillor Tobokwani said the 2021/22 budget proposal totalled P174 819 610 to be financed by revenue support grant of P166 455 935 and income from own sources of P8 363 670.

He stated that the proposed total budget had increased by 3.5 per cent from 2020/21.

The chairperson indicated that there was no allocation under celebrations and staff training votes for the coming financial year because expectation was that there would be few workshops due to COVID-19.

Councillor Tobokwani stated that Social and Community Development had been allocated the largest share at P33 993 100, which constituted 19 per cent of the entire budget, an increase of P1 431 900 from P32 561 200 the previous year, which is a result of an increase in relief of destitute persons.

Civil and Mechanical, he said, was allocated the second largest share of P29 699 580 followed by Education with P26 011 480.

Construction and maintenance of roads and culverts is allocated P4 125 750.

The chairperson said it was anticipated that bye-law would collect P30 000 from fines, which was a decrease from P32 250 from the previous year premised on the fact that businesses were now complying.

In response, Councillor Godfrey Smile of Ramokgwebana stated that many roads were in a bad state and the funds allocated for construction and maintenance of roads and culverts would help repair them.

He encouraged council sections to share resources in order to cut costs.

Councillor Mbaakanyi Smart of Mosojane Ward also observed that mending roads would aid developments. ends