25 Mar 2021

Chobe District councillors have approved the council’s P86 million recurrent budget for the financial year 2021/22.

Presenting the budget, chairperson of the finance and works committee, councillor Tengenyane Tuelo said there was a 2.5 per cent decrease from the approved 2020/21 recurrent budget.

He said the budget needed the council to prioritise votes that were critical for its operations and for the delivery of core services to the community with a big chunk going towards salaries, wages and allowances.

Councillor Tuelo said maintenance of roads, school stationery and equipment as well as refuse contracts were allocated P302 000, P1.5 million and P1 million respectively.

He pleaded with councillors to help strengthen cost saving measures and to develop new cost cutting strategies.

He said it was critical for the council to collect all the estimated revenue of over P6.5 million as discussed at the finance and works committee meeting. He also said it was important to strengthen the implementation of existing revenue collection strategies.

Councillor Tuelo noted that the main sources of the council’s revenue included rental of premises at P465 000, sanitation fees at P946 000, staff house rentals at P894 000 and market fees at P174 600.

Prior to the approval of the budget, councillor Chimney Mulelwane of Chobe Enclave East Ward said the council, with its limited budget, could not be expected to carry out all development projects in the district. He implored all departments to unite in delivering services to the community.

Cllr Mulelwane cited the P302 000 for road maintenance, saying it was inadequate and implored the Department of Roads to assist council with equipment.

He added that his plea was directed at all government departments to come on board to ensure services reached the Chobe community.Councillor Boitumelo Kanyetu of Plateau Ward concurred with Mr Mulelwane that the maintenance of roads budget was not enough to address the current state of roads in the district.

He said the budget was only enough to maintain roads in one ward and called on councillors to review it.Councillor Paul Chabaesele said time had come for the council to engage in revenue generating activities and refrain from depending on the government for funding.

He called on councillors to encourage their communities to come up with income generating projects when they planned for the constituency fund, saying projects such as tower lights further burdened the council as it was expected to pay power bills for such. ENDS