24 Mar 2026

The Lobatse Town Council aims to maximise existing revenue streams and identify new income sources after a P224 million budget was approved for the 2026/2027 financial year, falling short of the council’s estimated requirement of P290 million.

During the budget presentation recently, councillors expressed optimism, rallying Lobatse residents to carry their weight through consistent payment of rates and service levies. Thema/Motswedi ward councillor, Mr Velem Heii, emphasised that such payments were crucial, as they provided a significant portion of the revenue required to deliver essential services and maintain infrastructure.

Despite sluggish economic growth, Councillor Heii noted that the council continued to exercise sound financial prudence, having successfully collected P15 million in internal revenue during the 2025/2026 financial year while maintaining quality service delivery. He commended the Lobatse community for their contribution to the upcoming budget and encouraged those lagging behind to settle their outstanding rates.

Furthermore, Councillor Heii applauded the P59.3 million allocation to primary health care, which accounted for 26 per cent of the total budget. He noted that such reflected government’s commitment to addressing healthcare challenges. He added that moving primary healthcare back under council jurisdiction had yielded positive results, leaving clinics better resourced and reducing congestion at Athlone Hospital.

Tsopeng South councillor, Mr Moalosi Rasesia, stressed the importance of navigating the current fiscal climate to ensure service continuity. He said Lobatse council remained financially stable compared to other local authorities, noting it has successfully met its payroll obligations.

Nominated councillor, Mr Gofaone Kedise highlighted the role of technology in fiscal management. To tackle low collection rates, he said the council was leveraging digital tools, including an FNB App, allowing residents to pay levies at their convenience.

Lobatse Mayor, Mr Aron Ganakgomo, revealed that property rate debt was currently at over P30 million. He announced that, in addition to the FNB platform, the council would soon introduce ABSA integration to facilitate easier remote payments.

The comments followed a presentation by the finance committee chairperson and Boswelatlou councillor, Mr Omar Raphael, who detailed the P224 million allocation to consist of P209 million for government revenue support grant and P15 million for internally generated revenue. Mr Raphael noted that while the council’s mandate was clear, delayed disbursements of government subventions had hindered service delivery.

“We are central to how public services are accessed. Delayed disbursements make it harder to align spending with national priorities,” he stated.

Meanwhile, expenditure during the previous period was also affected by austerity measures introduced in the second quarter to ensure fiscal sustainability. Consequently, spending was strictly prioritised for high-impact programmes while non-critical expenditures were deferred.

Key allocations included the largest share of P59.3 million to public health as well as P47.5 million to human resources and admininistration, representing 21 per cent of the budget, including P17.4 million for staff pensions. All remaining departments received allocations below 10 per cent.

“We must focus more on revenue maximisation from existing and new sources. We are ready to execute innovative approaches to enhance our financial sustainability,” he said. BOPA