31 Aug 2023

Selebi Phikwe Town council (SPTC) is expected to embark on a house to house awareness campaign as part of strategies to collect over P19 million owed to it of rates and service levy.

This was said by SPTC mayor, Mr Lucas Modimana on Tuesday, at the ongoing full council meeting.

Mr Modimana told the meeting that as part of strategies it had employed, the council had created payment platforms to include direct bank deposits, stop orders for people to pay rates and the service levy.

“The revenue office is always open from 730am to 330pm during working days including lunch hour. Once again I am appealing to this house and the community at large to come forth and pay their dues. Let us introspect as the community of Selebi Phikwe with a shift in our mindset and take responsibility,” he said.

He revealed that SPTC was owed P19 million, out of which over P13 million was for rates over P6 million for service levy.

“This is a recurring problem to this council which negatively affects its cash flow and thus causing impediments in service delivery,” he said.

He stated that rates collection stood at P2.1m or 12 per cent of the total arrears while the service levy was above P325 000 including the current year bill.

Mr Modimana reminded councilors about the deadline for filing their individual tax returns.

“However, Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) does not require individuals whose annual employment income is less than P480 000 to file their returns. This immunity applies to those individuals whose total income arise solely from employment from one employer and have been subjected to correct Pay As You Earn (PAYE),” he explained.

On other issues, Mr Modimana also updated the councillors on the implementation status of development projects in Selebi Phikwe, particularly those that would be implemented through Constituency Community Projects (CCP) programme, backlog eradication, road levy and Ipelegeng in the current financial year.He said there were 21 planned projects to be implemented, adding however that only one was already completed while the majority were at various procurement stages.

Of the 21 planned projects, he said 11 would be implemented through the CCP programme, one through Ipelegeng Skills Development Component, four through road levy and the other four through the backlog eradication initiative.

“It is evident that there has been a delay in project implementation for this year, so measures have been put in place to speed up their implementation by the project team meeting on weekly basis,” he said.

Regarding the community development projects, Mr Modimana indicated that Thakomebosele Tswana Chicken project was operational and production was currently being monitored.

He said the project had 45 hens, 11 cocks and 50 eggs under incubation and would contribute to improving the lives of the beneficiaries because selling of Tswana chicken generated income for the residents.

He added that the council, through the Department of Social and Community Development, was in the process of submitting project proposals to different donor agencies for electricity connection as the project site needed illumination.

Furthermore, he updated councillors about the Kopano Recreational Park, a community project that was also funded through CCP funds. He said the project was operational and generating income for the Ward Development Committee.

“I want to take this moment to appreciate members of the community for utilising this park for their social functions. This park has proved to be beneficial to the community as it provides a component for urban camping through its camping site hence generating income for the committee and space for churches and parties through the shelter,” he said. ENDS