Autlwetse refutes allegations of withholding resources
22 Feb 2024
Serowe District Council is not withholding resources from other districts in the region, according to Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse.
Contributing to the 2024/25 budget speech, Mr Autlwetse refuted claims made by some MPs that Serowe Disrict was withholding funds.
Instead, he said, that the CDC had a limited budget of about P25 million against a liability of P197 million.
This remaining liability has not been cleared to date. Furthermore, the distribution of CDC fleet saw Serowe District Council receive only 20 vehicles, and Minister Autlwetse emphasised that the decentralization aimed to bring services closer to communities.
The minister also touched on the issue of remaining CDC assets and liabilities, noting that the assets would be sold to cover the outstanding liabilities.
He urged MPs not to suggest that there was any disadvantage to other districts during the decentralization process.
Additionally, Mr Autlwetse acknowledged the shortage of office accommodation across districts and advised councils to look for alternatives, as building new structures was not currently feasible within the ministry’s capacity.
He said while it was without contention that the development budget was low, it was untrue that upgraded districts were run on a sub-district budget.
Minister Autlwetse said the decentralisation, which resulted in the upgrading of sub-districts into fully fledged districts, was aimed at bringing services closer to communities.
Selibe Phikwe East legislator, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana, highlighted the challenges faced by his town, including the closure of the mine and subsequent tremors causing structural damage in the area.
He called for special treatment for Selebi Phikwe residents.
Furthermore, Mr Nkawana emphasised the need for transparency in political party funding, advocating for fair distribution of funds to all registered political parties.
He also expressed concerns about the citrus fruits project saying Selebi Phikwe residents had hoped to benefit from the citrus fruits project through transporting the fruits to the market among others.
However, he said it appeared unlikely.
He also appealed for better remuneration for those working at the plant.
With regards to Chema Chema Fund, Mr Nkawana that efforts should be made to ensure equitable distribution of resources and financial aid, respectively. ENDS
Source : BOPA
Author : Bonang Masolotate
Location : GABORONE
Event : PARLIAMENT
Date : 22 Feb 2024
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