26 Feb 2025

Jwaneng mayor, Mr Ronica Ntsimako, has cited community engagement, financial review and public safety as key priority areas for his leadership’s first six months in office.
Addressing a full council meeting on Tuesday, the Mayor underscored the need to engage strategic stakeholders and undertake consultative meetings with the community to share ideas geared towards developing the township.
“We will conduct town hall meetings, listen to community views and create an effective feedback system.
Over and above, we intend to engage the Ministers Fraternal, the business community and the Jwaneng Mine and request them to submit one member each whom we will work with,” he said.
 He also noted that reviewing the council’s financial status would inform the strategies to be deployed to ensure sustainability and stability for Jwaneng.
He said the town’s long-standing challenges of unemployment and shortage of development funds called for prudent financial management and effective and sustainable revenue generation mechanisms.
He also emphasised the need to fill key positions to enhance service delivery to the communities. Additionally, Mr Ntsimako said he would advocate for robust practices intended to promote the safety of people and properties in the town, with specific emphasis to improved policing and related programmes.
“We will ensure a range of measures and practices that aim at protecting the wellbeing of residents, visitors and property in the town.
Under law enforcement, we will emphasise police presence, community policing and also promote crime prevention programmes in the town,” he noted.
He said a comprehensive strategy for upgrading and maintaining infrastructure such as roads, parks and public buildings would be developed as a short-term plan.
He noted that devising a well-defined maintenance plan would go a long way in improving the overall aesthetic of the township.
 In addition to luring new investments, he noted that they would review regulations governing small businesses in an endeavour to allow them to drive the local economy.
He said part of the plan would also be supporting agribusinesses and creating opportunities for small-scale farmers.
He appreciated the long-term effects of COVID-19 on small businesses, and said it is necessary to stimulate economic growth. “Our small businesses have been through so much since the COVID-19 pandemic. The last thing they need to deal with is more unnecessary impediments in their daily operations. We are going to drive real change that cuts red tapes and allows small businesses to power our local economy. We recognise small businesses as the livelihood of our communities, there shall be comprehensive review of regulations, fines and penalties that affect small businesses,” he said.
Furthermore, Mr Ntsimako noted that the government was committed to improving the quality of education in the country, and his council would collaborate with schools through various initiatives to realise this goal.
He said through The Mayor’s Trophy, they intend to promote excellence and teamwork in the local schools.
He also noted that they intend to promote vocational education in partnership with the Jwaneng Technical College.
Nonetheless, he noted that drug abuse hindered young people from fulfilling their dreams and denied them opportunities towards prosperity.
 Consequently, he said the council would build a recreational hub that would give young people an opportunity to interact through sport and arts, among other programmes.
He noted that long-term plans included collaborating with other countries and municipalities towards bringing development to Jwaneng, as well as creating the much-needed employment opportunities for the residents.
He said the council would also undertake some of the developments through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to relieve the already congested government budget. “We seek long-term infrastructure and economic growth opportunities through PPPs. ENDS