08 Jul 2026

Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Ketlhalefile Motshegwa has urged the ministry and local authorities to embrace a high-performance culture, saying public institutions must put service delivery, accountability and development first.

Addressing Gaborone City Council on July 7, Mr Motshegwa said poor performance and corruption must carry consequences, while integrity, professionalism and a good reputation should be recognized and rewarded.

“The ministry’s primary mandate is to serve the people and drive development,” he said.

The minister noted that business people had complained about lengthy, bureaucratic government processes weighed down by unnecessary red tape.

“So why do we not put in place efficient processes and procedures? We should be concerned with results, excellence and delivery. At the end of the day, we will not be judged by how many processes, policies and laws we have, but by our performance,” Mr Motshegwa said.

He added that government would ultimately be judged by the number of people it assisted, the lives it transformed, and the impact it made on communities.

Mr Motshegwa said the remarks present an opportunity for local authorities to review their governance systems and organisational culture to find practical ways to improve service delivery.

He also said the ministry must empower local authorities to operate independently without excessive micromanagement, in line with government’s decentralisation agenda. 

The decentralisation policy, he explained, will focus on devolving powers from central government to local authorities, which are better positioned to provide quality services to residents.

On governance, the minister stressed the need for transparency in council operations. Councillors, he said, should receive documents on time to allow proper study and informed decision-making.

He said the mayor’s mandate is to promote the health, safety and good governance of the city, and that Gaborone City Council should set the standard for other local authorities given its strategic role in the country’s administration and economy.

“We cannot afford unaccountability, disunity and indiscipline in local authorities, especially when our people continue to face serious challenges such as unemployment and poverty. These are the issues that should occupy our attention,” he said. ENDS