09 Mar 2022

The decentralisation policy, once adopted, will be delivered in a phased approach, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse has told Parliament. 

Responding to MPs comments after they debated the ministry’s proposed budget estimates, Mr Autlwetse said the draft policy had a costed implementation framework which would be implemented in phases to guide the overall execution. 

He explained that due to financial constraints, the ministry had recommended that the policy be implemented in phases with the first phase encompassing the establishment of necessary coordinating and implementing structures, consideration and implementation of legal changes as well as generating buy-in from various line ministries and public awareness and support for the policy. 

“I understand the urgency of this policy but our development budget which amounts to P2bn is not sufficient to address all our challenges,” he said. 

He said through the decentralisation policy, government envisaged to upgrade sub-districts into fully fledged district councils and transform service centres into sub-districts, adding the nine available districts were overstretched. 

The decentralisation policy, he said was key in improving access to services by empowering local authorities to make decisions, mobilise resources and promote local economic development to their respective communities. 

Mr Autlwetse thanked MPs for supporting the draft policy, stating that after being presented to Cabinet, it would be taken to Parliament for approval. 

Furthermore, he explained that the policy would promote income generation by local authorities particularly in big villages that were currently operating as sub-districts. 

He said the income would help local authorities augment the revenue grant they got from the ministry hence enable the councils to undertake developments and bring services closes to the communities . 

Meanwhile, Mr Autlwetse said he was aware of the condition of schools infrastructure including toilets and teachers’ houses. 

He also acknowledged shortage of accommodation for teachers and dilapidated buildings in schools across the country hence maintenance would be carried out in some including construction of new primary schools in areas such as Letlhakane. 

He said the budget allocated his ministry was not enough to undertake maintenance in all the primary schools hence would be done in bits and pieces. 

Tribal Administration on the other hand, he said was one of the departments that were in dire need of maintenance, adding most of offices were in a bad state. 

He said the ministry took the initiative to construct new kgotla offices in four big villages, including Mochudi. 

Mr Autlwetse also emphasised that all the 57 constituencies were equal as such all of them would eventually receive developments in a phased manner. 

On other issues, Mr Autlwetse concurred with MPs that the Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) threshold was not enough hence the ministry should consider increasing it. He said the SHHA backlog too was also a thorn to his ministry, adding all these would be addressed subject to availability of funds. 

He said the funds his ministry was allocated was not enough to undertake all the SHHA projects. 

The minister also thanked MPs for supporting the new Ipelegeng Programme, stating that government had embarked on transforming it to make it more efficient and sustainable. He said collaboration between his ministry and that of employment, labour productivity and skills development commenced implementation of the new programme in the South East District. 

He said the newly introduced skills development component of Ipelegeng Programme, provided an opportunity to train beneficiaries in artisan skills such as bricklaying, carpentry, painting and plumbing. 

MPs commended the ministry for the reforms but urged the minister to consider making Ipelegeng workers permanent and pensionable in the long run. 

They also emphasised the need to engage local artisans to empower communities instead of awarding small projects to companies. 

Meanwhile, Parliament approved the ministry’s request of over P9 billion for both the development and recurrent budget. Ends