19 Sep 2023

Mabutsane District Local Economic Development (LED) technical committee is expected to formulate a LED strategy by the end of the financial year, council chairperson, Mr Kgopolo Setammere-Ramosesane has said.

The localised strategy would provide guidance on the implementation of the programme in the district to benefit local communities.

“Our LED technical team has been adequately trained on LED processes and they now have understanding on how to mainstream LED within our district and I believe they have been adequately empowered to produce our LED strategy by the end of the financial year as per our annual performance plan,” said Mr Setammere-Ramosesane at the official opening of the Mabutsane District full council session on Monday. Subsequently, he said plans were underway to train local entrepreneurs to position themselves for arising opportunities, especially on marketing their products and services. He noted that such empowerment workshops were intended to enhance their beneficiation through local economic development.

He also underscored the need to find ways to efficiently utilize natural resources in their proximities to enhance local economy.

On the new Ipelegeng skills development component, Mr Setammere-Ramosesane said following the approval of plans to modify stage IV houses to semi-detached LA1’s in Mabutsane, Keng and Kokong, recruitment of people to benefit from such projects was ongoing.

“Recruitment of beneficiaries is also underway and skills to be acquired include, but not limited to, carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying, plastering and painting. Procurement of protective clothing for the beneficiaries is also ongoing,” he said.

Additionally, the chairperson updated the house on last year’s destitute and the Remote Area Development Programme (RADP) housing projects in the district, most of which he said were complete, while the remaining were at various stages of construction.

“Regarding completion of destitute housing for financial year 2022/23, 13 units have been completed while two are at finishing stages. A total of 10 out of 22 RADP destitute housing units are complete and 12 are ongoing at various stages of construction,” he said.

The chairperson also said administration and classroom blocks for the new primary school at Sese were at super structure level, while the slab casting for the staffroom block had been completed. Furthermore, he said that foundation walling for staff blocks and block casting of footings were ongoing.

Consequently, Mr Setammere-Ramosesane applauded all the stakeholders who continued to contribute towards various projects in the district. ends