12 Jul 2023

By Manowe Motsaathebe

BOBONONG -  Bobirwa District Council request for funds to be considered following completion of financial audit carried last month, acting council secretary Mr Gregory Lepang has said.

Mr Lepang said that the requested funds would, amongst other things, necessitate his council to carry out maintenance works at primary schools and other council infrastructure.

Speaking during a kgotla meeting by Member of Parliament for Bobonong Mr Taolo Lucas Monday, Mr Lepang said that the council was currently financially hamstrung to refurbish primary schools in its territory.

“We wrote to our parent ministry regarding our financial situation and the ministry responded by carrying out some financial audit,” said the acting council secretary.

The acting council secretary said that the newly established council was ‘broke, but hopeful’ that the local government and rural development  ministry would accede to their financial request.

“We should concede that our infrastructure at schools need to be refurbished and or upgraded and that there was a dire need to attend to the toilets,” Mr Lepang said.

Ms Tebatso Mackey also from Bobonong district council called on all stakeholders to join hands in the care of learners' toilets saying their discovery had been that some flushing system was continually vandalised and others stolen.

The responses were instigated by reports from village development committee to the effect that toilets at primary schools in Bobonong were not clean and  unhealthy for learners.

Delivering her report, VDC chairperson, Ms Sylvia Phethu said that the situation with school toilets was so dire that the village leadership had to visit the government institutions of lower learning to appreciate the magnitude of the problem.

Ms Phethu said that the situation was disturbing so much that some kids at Modisaotsile Primary School had to relieve themselves outside the toilets as six of the 10 water system toilets were dysfunctional.

MP Lucas added to the call saying water system toilets at Lepokole Primary School were non-functional and thereby forcing pupils to revert to pit latrines. The latrines, he said oozed a lot of stench that was disturbing not only to the learners, but the larger community.

“The stench is so debilitating that kids are allowed about 25 minutes post use of the toilets to then mingle with others or enter a classroom,” said MP Lucas.

On other issues, the acting council secretary said that council has consulted with their counsel regarding contractual matters pertaining to completion of the sports facility.

Conceding that the facility, left with laying of turf only, has taken long to complete much to the impatience of prospective users, Mr Lepang explained that the council had been in talks with the contractor who kept promising to complete works, albeit in vain. ends