Tlokweng drainage system worries council

Maranyane Ngwanaamotho | Tuesday February 18, 2014 14:38

 

Tlokweng Sub District Council chairperson, Tidimalo Motlhose said that construction of internal roads has been completed, while storm water drainage remains a challenge. 

She said that the council is waiting for the ministry’s response on fund allocation to address the drainage problem in the village.

Motlhose indicated that the sub-district experienced heavy rains that caused flooding in some homesteads last December.

To cope with the flooding, the council constructed temporary storm water drains along the affected homesteads at a cost of P69,783.84.

In April last year, the South East District Council chairman, Joseph Sorinyane, told his council that Tlokweng needed P25 million for drainage system maintenance.  Sorinyane said that the storm drainage in Tlokweng needed urgent attention, as it posed a danger to residents during the floods.

He further said that residents could not access their homes and roads during heavy rains. He indicated that the ministry had been briefed on the matter but there were delays in approving the funds.

He hoped that the requested funds would be approved during the current financial year so that the maintenance of the storm drainage could start immediately.

Meanwhile, Tlokweng Sub District Council budget for 2014/2015 has been estimated at P39,318,138, which includes an income of P2,612,772.  However, buildings and roads have been allocated P1,723,661.80 and P3,503,220 respectively.  According to Motlhose, the money does not adequately cover their requirements and impacts negatively on their annual plans.

With an annual budget estimate of over P39 million the sub council is further faced with a challenge of slow graduation of welfare beneficiaries from the programme.

An assessment of 166 registered beneficiaries is reported to be ongoing while a total of 32 projects have already been established and are operational.  A total of P463,899.71 has been spent on the programme.