15 Jun 2021

The South East District Council (SEDC) has resolved to suspend its 2021/2022 procurement plan in order to save funds that could assist in reducing its P14 million recurrent budget deficit.

When addressing an ordinary full council virtual session Monday, council chairperson, Mr Oshima Peloewetse, said the deficit was exacerbated by the assistance given to over 17 000 households during lockdown.

He said the council, through its finance, education and performance monitoring committee, took the hard decision to partly offset the deficit.

Mr Peloewetse said the suspension of the procurement plan excluded critical items such as security services, cleaning services and refuse collection, among others.

However, the chairperson said the procurement process for the projects funded under the Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan (ERTP) that were introduced in the third quarter of the 2020/21 financial year were progressing well.

He said under the ERTP, the council would be implementing construction and maintenance of educational facilities.

In other developments, Mr Peloewetse said the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development had advised the council to provide a project memorandum for the detailed design and supervision of the expansion of 25km Tlokweng internal roads to cover storm water drainage and road network. 

The memorandum has since been submitted for appraisal and approval.

On agriculture development and food security, Mr Peloewetse said in an effort to align with President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s initiatives on small stock, the council was intending to intensify training on small sock management.

 The council chairperson said about 500 farmers including youth were targeted to be trained this year.

He said the transitional ISPAAD would come to end this month and payments for draught power were in progress.

He said the ISPAAD horticulture impact accelerator subsidy would end in June and two projects were approved to the tune of P450 000 while two were awaiting approval by CEDA.  ENDS