The Senior Assistant Council Secretary for Thamaga/Mogoditshane Sub District Council told Councillors, Thursday, that the sub council has no budget for projects. Most of the budget, he said, goes into the employees pockets as remunerations.
Responding to Councillors’ comments on the District Development Committee (DDC) report, Steven Motlogelwa, told councillors that the projects outlined in the report were those that had been budgeted for and funded. Those that were not funded were not included.
Mmankgodi councillors ÔÇô Councillors Dux Mafoko and Gabaitsiwe Motau, had eloquently complained that their wards’ projects never appear in the DDC reports however important they were. This meant that they, as Councillors, could as well stay off council debates when funds were allocated wards.
The report indicated that in the roads category, five projects have been shelved due to budget review. A three kilometre internal gravel road in Mmopane; nine kilometres of resealing roads in Mogoditshane, Thamaga Mmankgodi, Gabane and Mmopane have been shelved at tender stage.
So are three 500 m roads worth P2m, which were to be paved (in house by council-not tendered for) with interlocking pavers in Mogoditshane, Metsimotlhabe and Kumakwane.
A 1.6 km Pula Spar road has also been shelved while 60 percent interlock paved; in house, to the tune of P751, 350.00. Two gravelling projects are in the tender stage, undergoing evaluation. These are three kilometres internal roads in Gabane and construction of a culvert along the Tsolamosese-Mmokolodi road. They will cost P600 000 and P900 000, respectively.
Under Architecture and Building Department, the report indicated that there was maintenance of Western Primary School to the tune of P1, 732,414.88 and the contractor was commissioning work.
Projects were reported to be ongoing under the Department of Building and Engineering services.
Construction of TB Resource centre at Thamaga Primary Hospital was reportedly ongoing. The building has been roofed, finishing works ongoing, but delayed due to site relocation and water bursting. The contractor is to submit request for extension of time.
The Specially Elected Councillor, Lady Pule, advised that the Western school is not in Gabane and the error should be corrected lest it led to Gabane being deprived developments due to it.
She further asked why the three kilometres gravel at Gabane could not be done in house instead of having it tendered for.
“We have machinery as the Kweneng District Council, so why was this project not done in house so that it cost less. Maybe if it was done in house it would end up being more kilometres than the mere three.”
Gabane North West Councillor, David Pule, asked why it was not at least six kilometres of gravel so that the four wards in the village could share some stretch of kilometres. He also wondered why the destitute houses that were included in the past report did not appear on the current one.
Councillor Molatedi Tona Selala wondered why the council has again resorted to gravelling while the whole sub district agreed in the past that they should opt for paving roads instead of gravel. He said it was unjust to spend money on gravel, which would, during wet seasons, be easily carried away by water. By the time funds would be available for tarmac, the stones for gravel would not be available.
He said the contractor of the TB Resource centre was not telling the truth when he said the delay for the project was due to site relocation. Instead, the delay was caused by the fact that he did not pay the employees for some months, resulting in them downing tools. He also movingly condemned the fact that Thamaga residents who were affected by construction of internal roads, and even the Molepolole-Thamaga road, were not compensated.
He singled out one home, which he said was surrounded by dug trenches that denied the owners to go out in their vehicles. He said with the Chinese who were constructing the roads now busy with other projects, chances are slim that this problem will be addressed anytime soon, unless if the council swiftly intervenes.
Councillor Ofentse Mareme of Gabane North East asked why it took long for tenders to be done. The delay on tendering caused shelving of projects as other sectors needed funds at the time when tendering process was still underway.
Further responding to their queries, Motlogelwa explained that it has become evident that roads constructions were slow the whole district. He also said capacity of preparing ITTs was lacking in the sub district that is why it took long to start the process. He further consoled Mankgodi Councillors that their projects needed thorough consideration but funds were still unavailable.
Shelved projects, he said, would be given first priority once funds were availed.
