09 Mar 2014

Parliament on Friday March 7 adopted a motion by Kanye South MP, Mr Abram Kesupile calling for the government to establish village community roads works programme.

The motion read, “that this honorable house requests government to consider establishing village community roads works programme to construct and maintain roads which may take long to fall into the mainstream of roads development and management.”

Presenting his motion, MP Kesupile said given the number of internal roads councils had to construct and maintain, smaller or less important ones were thus left without any care. MP Kesupile said councils were more concerned about major roads that carry high traffic volumes such as those leading to health or education facilities or those leading to economic activity areas.

Other roads that passed between residential areas, which were normally shorter, were thus left behind as the council could not maintain them due to budgetary constraints. He said this could relieve pressure from the councils adding there were a number of ways this could be undertaken such as the roping in of the private sector through corporate social responsibility.

MP Kesupile was supported by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, who said it could be done through Village Development Committees (VDC).

Minister Peter Siele said Ipelegeng could also be used as currently they were used to unblock trenches. He said there were some people in villages who have knowledge about road construction including the use of interlocking bricks which were now used to pave the streets. Such people, the minister said, could also be roped into the membership of VDCs.

Shoshong MP Dikgang Makgalemele supported the motion saying funds allocated for Village Infrastructure Development were not enough especially following the recent rainfalls which damaged the roads.

He said Ipelegeng could be improved and extended, adding it would result with skills transfer enabling beneficiaries to be able to earn a living outside the scheme. MP Makgalemele said the private sector through the corporate social responsibility could be roped in to assist such as by providing expertise and materials at discount rates.

This was also echoed by South East South MP Odirile Motlhale who said the initiative would save government millions of Pula as it was cheaper to use Ipelegeng than when the private sector is engaged. Further, machinery and expertise would be from government hence more savings.

Other MPs who supported the motion included Boteti South MP Lebonaamang Mokalake and Kwekeng South East MP Mmoloki Raletobane.  Ends