24 Feb 2021

Tlokweng Sub-district Council seeks to intensify internal revenue generating efforts to augment its revenue avenues.

The sub-council chairperson, Mr Phillip Mfolo, stated this during a sub-council session in Tlokweng on Monday.

He said there was need to reduce costs by maximising potential revenue collection through collection of property rates, SHHA loan repayments and fees from recreational facilities and others.

Mr Mfolo said this would enable the council to meet the demands of servicing its community amid shrinking national revenue sources.

 He highlighted that the advent of COVID-19 had a severe impact on the country’s economy, hence reduction of the council’s revenue sources.

The sub-council chairperson stated that this would impact the quality of services rendered to the community.

 “Our gravel roads were washed out during this season creating potholes, therefore, requiring re-graveling and grading. We have not been able to repair these roads because of budget constraints,” he said.

Nonetheless, Councilor Mfolo said the council was working on repairing a grader that would enable it to repair the roads.

 Still on COVID-19 related issues, he said in an effort to maximize the use of the ICT infrastructure and adhered to the national COVID-19 protocols,  the Suth East District Council had found it necessary to receive applications for both planning and building permission in soft copies.

Therefore, he said their clients and the general public at large could submit applications for planning and building permission in both hard and soft copies.

On other issues, he told the councillors that the revision of the Tlokweng Development Plan 2001-2025 has not been submitted to the Ministry of Lands Water and Sanitation services in December last year as envisaged.

“I regret to inform you that this was not possible as the Director of Town and Country Planning has advised SEDC to make some improvements and additions to the document, particularly the guidelines,” he said.

On the outsourcing of open space in the village, Councilor Mfolo said progress has been made as twelve plots have been identified in various parts of Tlokweng and advertisements for the outsourcing of these spaces were ongoing.

Regarding the constituency community project, he said the construction of the recreational park facility was at an advanced stage at 85 per cent completion.

He said the contractor is currently working on finishes which include trades such as tiling, painting and installation of light fittings.

“Therefore the expectation is that the first phase of the facility will be complete mid-March 2021.”

Further, he said tendering for the second phase was at an advanced stage and the expectation was that the tender would close by end of March this year. ENDS