22 Jun 2022

Lobatse Town Council (LTC) has engaged six private companies at a budget of P900 000 in a move to address waste collection challenges in the town.

Addressing a full council meeting on Tuesday, town mayor, Mr Jomo Dithebe said the move was compelled by a decline in waste collection services in Lobatse since September last year, after the council refuse collection trucks broke down.

Mr Dithebe said the breakdown of council refuse collection trucks resulted in areas in the town being serviced only once in a month, which stirred complaints from the community.

“To address this issue, the council has allocated a budget of P900 000 for outsourcing of waste collection to six small companies. 

These contractors will be collecting waste from 2 306 residential premises once weekly,” said the mayor.

He pointed that the remainder of the population would be serviced by available council refuse collection trucks. 

Mr Dithebe further said the council was worried by an increase in the rate of illegal dumping of waste within and in the outskirts of the town. 

He said illegally dumped waste included clinical waste. 

He warned that stern action would be taken against anyone caught dumping waste illegally and assured that more emphasis would be put nito improving waste collection in Lobatse.

Mr Dithebe further said the council would also intensify revenue collection by, among others, reviewing tariffs and existing partnerships, as well as develop new revenue sources.

“We are living in an unpredictable era since the COVID-19 pandemic started. 

Government coffers have been reduced drastically. 

This has led to budget cuts.

Therefore there is need for tight financial measures to be put in place for smooth running of our council,” he said.

He, therefore, appealed to the community to pay service levies and rates in order to assist the council improved services delivery.

Mr Dithebe further said the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development had approved P3 million for maintenance of internal roads in Lobatse.

“These funds will be utilised to maintain 1.3 kilometre section of Mokgosi road. 

Procurement process for the project is ongoing,” he said.

He added that an additional P5 million had been allocated to the council under the Road Fund Levy and consultations were underway to finance the proposed projects. ENDS