24 Aug 2022

A sharp increase in fuel prices and reduction in local government support grants have adversely affected Palapye Administrative Authority (PAA) coffers.

Officially opening Palapye Sub- council session on Monday, chairperson Mr Jordan Makhura said the quarterly revenue support grant of over P51 million for quarter ending September 30, 2022 was not enough to cover the whole quarter.

He said total expenditure as at July 31 was over P45 million, thus leaving a balance of just over P6 million from revenue support grant, which could not sustain the council up to end of quarter.

‘There are key basic service delivery issues in this institution which needs our prompt response and action regardless of the financial situation we are in,” he said.

Mr Makhura noted that key among them was the issue of security services, lighting gas and water as well as fuel and lubricants.

He, therefore, urged the political leadership, senior management and PAA staff to continue exercising prudent financial management to ensure excellent service delivery in this difficult time.

On other issues, Mr Makhura informed councillors that in pursuit of digitalisation priority, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development had embarked on the initiative of providing senior secondary schools with IT gadgets to promote digital culture in curriculum delivery.

He said laptops for teachers and tablets for learners had been delivered to Lotsane Senior School and Moeng College.

“A total of 152 laptops and 1 674 tablets had been delivered to Lotsane while 108 laptops and 1 025 tablets had been delivered to Moeng College,” he said.

Mr Makhura said the two schools were in the process of facilitating the handover of the gadgets to the intended recipients and the education ministry had provided guidelines for issuance of the IT gadgets and recovery upon loss of these gadgets.

Still on education, Mr Makhura said Palapye sub-region had experienced attacks of students by intruders and bullies within the school at Maunatlala and Radisele junior secondary schools.

He appreciated the quick response from the region, which requested nearby schools to avail their Guidance and Counseling senior teachers to assist in crisis management with the involvement of other stakeholders on February 20.

He, however, said the region had enhanced security at the hostels by hiring private security personnel to ensure safety of learners. ENDS