01 Apr 2026

Selebi Phikwe Town Council has unanimously approved recurrent budget for the 2026/27 financial year, which is P230,633,970.00, comprising P217,257 ,00.00 Revenue Support Grant and Own-Source Revenue of P13,376,970.00

The approval was made during a special full council meeting led by the Chairman of the Finance and Investment Committee, Councillor Stephen Nyoni recently.

Mr Nyoni stated that this reflected an increase compared to the approved recurrent budget of the 2025/26 financial year that amounted to P183,191,390.00, comprising a Revenue Support Grant of P169,637,828.00 and Own-Source Revenue of P13,553,562.00.

Furthermore, he said the 2026/27 budget was set to align with the council’s strategies, which identified priority areas, including the maintenance of infrastructure, the provision of essential public services, and social and community welfare support services, among others.

Mr Nyoni noted that due to budget constraints, the council was compelled to scale down planned activities and strike a balance between limited financial resources and increasing demand for services.

“The council’s liquidity position has been constrained due to a shortfall in both the revenue support grant and its own-source revenue, resulting in a persistent cash deficit in its recurrent account,” said Mr Nyoni.

Mr Nyoni assured Batswana that despite these financial challenges, the council was committed to providing satisfactory services.

He also mentioned that to enhance its revenue base, several initiatives were being implemented, including revised tariffs and the expansion of revenue collection points.

During the presentation, Mr Aron Sefho, the councillor for Kopano Ward, emphasised the need for council to evaluate its current expenditure practices.

He expressed concerns and suggested a comprehensive restructuring of the budget to improve overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Additionally, Mr Sefho proposed the consolidation of some budget votes, which could streamline operations and allow for more effective resource allocation in addressing community needs. ENDS