28 Feb 2022

It is apt for the leadership of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to visit citizens, especially remote area dwellers to check on their livelihoods.

Speaking during kgotla meetings in Itholoke, Kutuku and Kanaku in Jwaneng-Mabutsane Constituency, assistant minister, Ms Talita Monnakgotla indicated that such visits helped to assess whether the ministry’s programmes, which are geared towards the welfare of the people, were implemented properly.

She said that for such to succeed, there should be cordial working relations between civil servants and residents of those villages, and advised that tenders for initiatives such as provision of bread at primary schools and food baskets for the destitute should be given to residents over outsiders.

Ms Monnakgotla also said that now that the COVID-19 pandemic had abated after the majority of the population got vaccinated, RADP villages should look forward to welcoming events such as Mr and Miss RADP beauty contest.

Meanwhile, the Village Development Committee (VDC) chairperson for Itholoke, Mr Baoneetse Moshombe decried dire shortage of water in the settlement, whose human population is 497 people.

He explained that the shortage affected both people and domestic animals, and that it started after the Water Utilities Corporation took over from Department of Water Affairs.

He said the water bowser that supplied them was not reliable and suggested that they be provided with its schedule so they could know when to expect it.

“Currently our lives revolve around the bowser, so we are hesitant to go to the lands and cattle posts as we’re afraid we will miss it,” he said.

He said that the shortage also drastically affected pupils as they went to school dirty and hungry. Residents said that the shortage affected government programmes such as LIMID, and made civil servants reluctant to work at Itholoke.

Mabutsane Sub district assistant council secretary, Mr Focus Galebotswe said that a borehole was drilled in the village and was awaiting WUC to check whether it could yield enough water for both residents and their animals, as well as test the water to see if it was fit for human consumption.

For his part, WUC cluster supervisor, Mr John Nkomba promised residents that he would provide a schedule of the bowser as per their request.

He said their challenge was that they bowsed water from Mabutsane, which was far and the roads were bad.

Meanwhile, Kgosi Ketsieditswe Mooshiwa of Kutuku raised a concern about children from his village, who took off back home from Mabutsane RADP hostel.

He said the children were still too young and not used to staying away from parents, hence their running away from the home. He said most of them failed academically, as a result.

He appreciated that an agreement had been reached to move those in junior secondary school from Maiteko Junior School in Mabutsane closer to Molongwa Junior School in Khakhea. Ends