01 Feb 2021

Dikgosi have been assured of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development’s intention to improve skill manpower among youth.

This was said by Assistant Minister of Local government and Rural Development Mr Setlhabelo Modukanele when answering a question at Ntlo ya Dikgosi on Friday.

Kgosi Mbao Kahiko III of Ghanzi west Region had asked the minister if he would consider absorbing intern officers attached to Department of Tribal Administration since the officers had different skills such as information Technology and Administration.

He noted that ministry recognised the varying skills including the information technology possessed by intern officers attached to Department of Tribal Administration.

“Ministry is inept to absorb these intern officers due to budgetary constraints and limitations on the growth of public service,” he said.

Mr Modukanele urged dikgosi to facilitate the absorption of the skills by the private sector and use of government programmes such as CEDA, YDF, Young Farmers Fund and others to create employment for themselves.

Responding to Kgosi Tjazako Munduu of Ngami Region’s request for an explanation as to when Gwexwa settlement would be merged with Komana village following an agreement made between the villagers and council authorities, Mr Modukanele said they had received a recommendation from the North-West District Council in the 2019/20 financial year not to recognize Gwexwa as a village but to allow it to grow and develop naturally.

He said consultations with other affected government agencies and stakeholders were ongoing and the plan was to conclude the matter during the first quarter of the 2021/2022 financial year.

Meanwhile, the assistant minister informed the house that recruitment of the director of North East Tribal Administration was ongoing and the plan was to have the officer in office by end of February 2021.

Mr Modukanele also stated  that the ministry had no immediate plans to acquire Plot 1130 in Francistown for Department of Tribal Administration as the plot in question did not belong to the ministry of local government and rural development but to Tati Land Board.

He further said contrary to the assertion that the department of Tribal Administration and Customary Court of Appeal had been in desperate need of office accommodation for the past 29 years, the ministry had been renting decent offices and currently housed at Thata Save House.

Mr Modukanele further said ministry had been implementing section 41 of the Customary Court Act as demonstrated by the appointment of the two customary Courts of Appeal presidents

Kgosi Sibangani Mosojane of North East District had wanted an update on the progress made regarding the appointment of the Director of Department of Tribal Administration after its advertisement.

He also wanted to know if the minister would consider transferring plot 1130 in Francistown to the Department of Tribal Administration and House Customary Court of Appeal since the department had been desperately in need of decent office accommodation for the past 29 years.

Lastly Kgosi Mosojane wanted the minister to state when he would consider implementing section 41 of the Customary Court Act (Cap04:05) which was amended in 2013 by appointing a president of Customary Courts of Appeal since it was long overdue. ENDS