25 Aug 2026

Despite the current economic strain and funding constraints, Gamalete District Council is hopeful that the economy will recover and create room for implementation of major projects in the district. 

Addressing a full council session on Monday district council chairperson, Mr Matlhomola Motsage, said for the 2026/2027 financial year had no provision for new projects under the District Development Plan 9 as available funding would only cater for ongoing projects. 

However, he said they remained optimistic that the economy would recover and cater for major projects such as the upgrading of Ramotswa Border Post which required significant funding to transform it into a modern and commercially viable port of entry capable of facilitating increased cross border trade. 

He said that the council had submitted eight project memorandums comprising projects and programmes. 

“To this end, only partial disbursement of funds is for four programmes that include Ikageng, orphan care, Community Home Based Care and School Feeding Programmes, while the remaining four project memorandums for projects are not yet approved,” he said. 

Mr Motsage said the four project memorandums included P10 million for Constituency Community Projects (CCP) proposed for improving the water supply network in the district, the P110, 000 for destitute housing, P8 million for roads maintenance and P663, 000 for school maintenance of Mokgosi Primary School. 

He said council continued to operate under significant financial pressure following the reduction of P53.42 million on the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) during this 2026/27 financial year. 

Mr Motsage said the financial status had required council to reprioritise expenditure with significant pressure expected on utilities, refuse collection, security services, support to vulnerable groups and other essential operations. 

“As at July 13, 2026, expenditure stood at P62.54 million representing 33 per cent of the budget while collections on our own source of Revenue stood at P972, 000 constituting 12 per cent of the P7.91 million of the budget. This is a call for us to maintain strict financial discipline, improve revenue collection, and ensure expenditure remains aligned with approved priorities,” he added. 

Mr Motsage said market stalls and property rating projects remained revenue initiatives to improve council’s financial status hence council advertised an expression of interest for both projects in May. 

He noted that the expression of interest for market stalls was advertised to attract the highest and best use of the designated area to develop activities that were commercial and vibrant, including a mix of retail, office and other commercial uses. 

The other critical project for economic revenue is the 72 hectare recreational plot which continues to attract high lease rentals from Malete Land Board but without any capital gains, Mr Matsage said. 

He explained that in order to balance out the capital losses and convert the park into a profitable asset council had rezoned the plot into mixed use commercial with emphasis on sustainable development through provision of green spaces. 

Mr Motsage said the other potential source of revenue was the Ramotswa Central Business District Mall development, which was under the oversight committee for final recommendation of the submitted proposal from the unsolicited bid and was anticipated to be completed by the end of August this year. 

For progress on the Boatle–Ramotswa road 10-kilometre asphalt overlaying and road-marking project he said it had been challenged by unavailability of good gravel material and shortages of aggregates and bitumen, leaving the project at 67 per cent progress against the planned 80 per cent. ENDS