08 Mar 2022

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse has requested Parliament to approve over P9 billion for both the development and recurrent budget estimates to use in the 2022/2023 financial year.

Presenting the ministry’s development budget estimates on Monday, Mr Autlwetse said the  ministry would undertake programmes and projects which would require over P2 billion.

Of the P2bn, the largest share of P737 million would be allocated to the Department of Local Government Technical Services.

Mr Autlwetse said out of the P737 million, the department would fund local government infrastructure services programme which covered the two donor-funded projects of Legolo and Mmopane Block 8 internal roads, Mogoditshane and Tlokweng internal roads as well as maintenance of roads countrywide.

He said the community development department would be allocated the second largest budget of over P607m to continue implementation of Constituency Community Projects and implementation of RADP Destitute Housing and small community projects.

The third largest share of the budget, he said would be allocated to the Development of Local Governance and Development Planning to implement the Ipelegeng Programme.

Furthermore, he said the Department of Tribal Administration would be allocated over P68m for construction of three main kgotla offices at Mochudi, Molepolole and Maun as well as extension of four customary courts at Ramokgonami, Pitsane, Kachikau and Rakops.

Department of Social Protection and the ministry headquarters would receive the remaining balance of over P62m and P8m respectively.

Under the recurrent budget estimates, Mr Autlwetse proposed over P7 billion out of which the largest share would be allocated to the Department of Local Government, Finance and Procurement Services, out of which over P3bn cover councils’ revenue support grant while over P864m would be used for food and supplies and the remainder would be shared amongst other items.

He said the Department of Social Protection, would get the second largest share of over P1bn to cater mainly for old age pension, orphan care programme and destitute cash allowance.

The third largest share of the proposed recurrent budget, he said was allocated to the Department of Tribal Administration at over 641m while the remaining P173m  of the ministry’s recurrent budget would be shared by five departments, namely corporate services, community development, local governance and development planning, rural development and local government technical services.

Meanwhile, Mr Autlwetse told Parliament that efforts had been made to align his ministry’s budget proposals with the President’s Reset and Reclaim Agenda, Economic Recovery and Transformation Plan and the Ministry Strategy and Transformation Plan.

He also thanked UNDP for their continued facilitation of knowledge transfer and contribution towards building the institutional capacity by channelling resources towards initiatives that would upon completion improve the lives of citizens.

Through the UNDP, he said 12 consultancy projects supporting the strategy had been funded.

He said the ministry also developed the Draft National Decentralisation Policy in line with Vision 2036, which would create a governance framework that would promote sustainable development, enhance citizens’ participation by transferring decision-making powers and resources to local governments to enable them to deliver services in a coherent and effective manner. Ends