20 Mar 2022

 Improving the management of limited resources and integrating plans for effective and efficient service delivery is critical to turning Gaborone into a model city. 

Presenting Gaborone City Council budget proposal of over P384 million for the financial year 2022/2023 during a special council meeting on Friday, chief finance and development planning officer, Mr Nathaniel Maphoto said the budget estimates represented a 2.13 per cent decrease from the 2021/22 budget of over P392 million. 

Councillors approved and adopted the budget estimates as annual running costs for 2022/2023. 

Mr Maphoto also noted that the revenue support grant had been reduced by 1.43 per cent and that it was about P245 million for 2022/23. 

He said income from own sources, including rates was P139 million and that it had decreased by 3.33 per cent from about P144 million in 2021/22. 

Mr Maphoto also informed councillors that the general analysis of the estimated budget indicated a decline in the overall budget. 

He said aspirations of turning Gaborone into a model city would be compromised due to challenges of limited resources, and thus asked for an improved management of the limited resources. 

He also urged councillors to explore new measures and avenues to expand the revenue base as well as to promote private sector participation. Mr Maphoto explained priority would be given to the maintenance of facilities, including streetlights, traffic light and patching of portholes, during the new financial year. 

He also said a large amount of the budget would go into completing ongoing projects. Furthermore, he said another portion of the funds would be channeled into the relief of destitute persons. 

Mr Maphoto also explained that the city council would be outsourcing waste management.

He informed councillors that government schools had received more students this year, which showed the city's population had increased, thereby exerting pressure on limited resources. 

He added that demand for stationery had gone up, but that “procurement of stationery for primary school has been largely catered for.” Mr Maphoto also some of the funds would be channeled towards COVID-19 preventative measures. 

For his part, the leader of the opposition councillor Tshepo Moloko expressed concern over reduced funding, saying the budget allocated to the city council fell short in addressing developmental issues. 

He said the allocating ministry needed to understand that Gaborone was the capital city of Botswana. 

Councillor Moloko said the limited resources would not adequately address priority areas. ends