07 Apr 2026

Kgatleng District Council has to date registered 349 child support grant beneficiaries.

The programme qualifies children who have not reached 12 months by April, must be a citizen of Botswana and possess a registered birth certificate and the primary giver must have resided in the district for at least six months prior to application.

Addressing a full council meeting recently, council chairperson, Mr Thabo Komane said the child grant was expected to commence payment this month, following a registration exercise that began on February 18.

Mr Komane said payment would be facilitated through the Social Benefits Payment and Reconciliation System.

“This is a transformative development for vulnerable families across our district” he said.

On other issues, Mr Komane told meeting that council’s effort to ramp up income streams was bearing fruit.

In that regard, he said trade licence collections, revenue officer deployments, and the October 2025 auction generated P78,100 as well as ongoing commercialisation of market stalls that contribute to a stronger own-source revenue base.

Furthermore, he said council’s Public-Private Partnership framework continued to attract investment citing that the P1 million pledge from Business Botswana through the Private Sector Disaster Response Fund.

He said the funds earmarked for sewage line connections for 50 households along the Notwane Riverfront in Mochudi was a compelling example of what partnership could achieve.

He said financial evaluation of tenders had been completed, and 16 of the 50 target households had already been identified.

Furthermore, he said council had been informed that the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure had secured funds for the reconstruction of the Mmamashia-Modipane Road, currently at pre-contract stage with tender documents under final vetting.

“Construction is anticipated to commence in the next financial year and will stimulate economic diversification, improve connectivity to South Africa via Tlokweng and Sikwane Border Posts, and create significant employment opportunities for our people,” he said.

Mr Komane also said the Modipane-Mabalane Road construction had been delayed by a court order.

“We are urgently engaging the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to provide short-term solutions while the legal process is being resolved,” he said.

In the agriculture space, he said for the 2025/2026 ploughing season, 5 505 farmers were registered compared to 5 148 in the previous season, and that 1 617.28 hectares were planted under the Lemang Dijo Programme.

However he said, the long dry spell from January to February affected standing crops.

“Consequently, this may result in a decline in production this season. Our thoughts remain with the farming families who are impacted,” he said. ENDS