05 May 2025

National Planning Commission, Assistant Commissioner General Ms Koontse Mokgwathi urged district leadership to enhance community consultations in order to refine their National Development Plan 12 (NDP 12) drafts alongside the District Development Plan (DDP).
She was speaking during  the Ghanzi and Charleshill districts leadership consultation meeting for the preparation of National Development Plan 12 (NDP) on Friday.
Ms Mokgwathi emphasised the importance of inclusivity, encouraging local leaders to engage with communities and critical stakeholders to ensure that all voices were heard in the planning process.
She believes that incorporating diverse opinions will strengthen the outcome of these developmental initiatives.
Moreover, Ms Mokgwathi highlighted the need for projects that bore positive impact on local economies.
She called for proposals that not only enhanced the economic status of the districts but also created job opportunities for residents, ultimately fostering growth and prosperity in the region.
Furthermore, she implored them to strategise on projects that would promote high returns on investment (ROI) as well as reduce abject poverty in their communities.
Addressing the communities in Ghanzi and Charleshill district Minister for State President, Mr Moeti Mohwasa, said there was  need by all key stakeholders, to pursue an inclusive, equitable and sustainable growth that would ensure a balance among economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
He said inequality takes many forms such as income inequalities, unequal access to resources, disparities in education and employment opportunities that varies across districts.
He therefore, said it was imperative to adopt frameworks that would fight against the identified inequalities and many more.
He however, emphasised that those approaches must be confined within their local economic contexts, and political realities.
That, he said would aid in reducing the widening gap between the rich and the poor  in the districts.
Mr Mohwasa explained that government was making strides in addressing inequalities such as the recently imposed 30 per cent water tariffs to ensure that water was affordable for many households.
He added that, there was an introduction of old age pension of P1400 that he said also demonstrated government’s commitment to improve the well-being of its citizens.
On other issues, he informed them that, NDP 12 preparations commenced in 2022 and was expected to be implemented in April 24.
However, he said it was extended by seven months to allow comprehensive deliberations and ensure that, their economic imperatives were aligned with the new government’s aspirations.
As a short term strategy that would ensure continuity, he said they called for the extension of the Transitional National Development Plan (TNDP).
He said the extension of the TNDP would allow for the completion of incomplete national projects that were earmarked for different districts.
He noted that NDP 12 would commence on November 1 and thus would afford district planners the opportunity to organise and plan comprehensively on their local economic developments priorities.
Earlier in her welcome remarks, Kgosi Annah Rankho, called for collaboration between district planners to ensure that they deliver productively for the economic growth of the two districts.
 She urged them to ensure that their goals were clear and achievable and called for monitoring and evaluation of projects to ensure that government funds were used prudently.
She also called for instant feedback to the relevant stakeholders that she said would promote trust, transparency and accountability.
For his part Charleshill District Council Chairperson, Mr Baduetswe Setswalo assured the legislators that they would consult with the key stakeholders before drafting their plans to ensure that they deliver plans that were inclusive.
He also said they would ensure that they would analyse the projects to ensure that, they would promote sustainable growth in their district and advance the country’s economy.
He said they would review the existing reforms to ensure that they are aligned to the new government’s aspirations for the benefit of bridging the gap between the rich and the poor in the country.
Ghanzi District Council Chairperson, Mr Thabiso Kebadile, called for transformative strategies that are aligned with the changing world and would promote quality lives for all.
He proposed for the laws that would empower them to generate revenues as councils to avoid relying on government funds at all times. ENDS