31 Jan 2021

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has allocated Ntlo ya Dikgosi P10 million to refurbish kgotla offices and staff houses across the country during the current financial year.

Answering a question from Kgosi Sibangani Mosojane of North East region recently, Assistant Minister, Mr Sethabelo Modukanele said in order to expedite implementation of new and maintenance of projects, he had requested councils to assist and facilitate the Department of Tribal Administration accordingly.

Kgosi Mosojane had asked the minister to explain when he intended to refurbish the tribal administration infrastructure, mainly offices and the kgotla.

Kgosi Mosojane also wanted to know if the ministry would consider appointing a project officer responsible for maintenance of tribal administration infrastructure.

On the construction of Maun bus terminal, Mr Modukanele said the funds were previously allocated to build bus/taxi lanes, public toilets, market stalls and waiting shades.

He said the bus terminal structure could not be accommodated into the project due to budgetary constraints.

Mr Modukanele said the North West District Council had wished to establish a modern bus terminal, which would be commensurate with Maun, as the tourism hub.

As such, he said the council had resolved to prepare an expression of interest for the procurement to finance, design, build, operate and transfer the developments under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.

“The initiative is currently at tendering process as the way forward will be determined on the basis on the response by bidders,” said Mr Modukanele.

Specially elected Kgosi Oatleng Setlhodi had wanted an update on progress made relating to the construction of Maun bus terminal.

Meanwhile, Kgosi John Toto II of Kgalagadi South region asked the minister to explain what had happened to the Namola Leuba Programme that was used to maintain the Maleshe/Letlopi, Tsabong/Mabuasehube, Omaweneno/Letlopi and Tsabong/Mabuasehube roads.

In response, Mr Modukanele said Ipelegeng programme had evolved from being drought relief and an emergency programme (Namola-leuba) to a permanent programme in 2008.

“The programme has been refocused with emphasis on maintenance works, de-bushing and small scale construction,” he said.

Mr Modukanele explained that identification of projects to be carried out under the programme was done through community consultations where priorities were set and projects were selected to match the available funding.

Therefore, Mr Modukanele said communities through the Village Development Committees (VDCs), had over the years not prioritised Maleshe/Letlopi, Tsabong/Mabuasehube, Omaweneno/Letlopi and Tsabong/Mabuasehube roads projects.

Mr Modukanele also informed Ntlo Ya Dikgosi that he appreciated the need for dikgotla with spacious offices to facilitate community consultations and information dissemination, given challenges of COVID-19 and other social ills, including gender based violence.

However, Mr Modukanele encouraged Dikgosi to lead in disseminating information on COVID-19 and other social ills including GBV.

Kgosi Mosadi Seboko of Balete had asked the minister to explain plans to avail spacious and open dikgotla to observe COVID-19 protocols during meetings owing to their mandate to disseminate information to the community. ENDS