Three month ultimatum for plot owners

Onalenna Kelebeile | Thursday March 6, 2014 09:31

 

Speaking during the full council meeting recently, the Mayor said applicants did not respond to the offer, as letters written to them were unclaimed at the post offices and were returned to council.

“Their names were advertised on notice boards in October 2012 and February 2013 but still they did not respond,” he added.

He explained that procedurally an applicant should respond within three months from the date of provisional offer, failure which it is withdrawn.

“Therefore, the council, through Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) and Physical Planning Committee, has resolved to give applicants a final three months that effected in February this year to come forth and claim their offers,” he said.

Still at the same meeting, the mayor said council has prepared a project memorandum to National Disaster Management to seek funding to address adverse flooding in Phase 1 location and the project entails increasing the number of culverts along Mowana Road.

He said it would enable water to flow freely across the road, which currently acts as a retaining wall, and water reverses and floods nearby plots. He said there would also be a provision of more drainage structures around flooding areas.

Matlhogonolo said he was pleased that a gynaecology clinic has been established at Selebi-Phikwe government hospital. He said the development would improve the women and maternal health for the town and surrounding villages and districts.

He said currently there are three specialists clinics, namely physician, paediatric and gynaecology unites that are conducted at the hospital.

“This has reduced the number of referrals to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital and Princess Marina Hospital because specialists become available at the local hospital,” he noted.

He further expressed the need for people to be encouraged to be innovative and productive in the current challenging economic times.

He said it has been indicated through the council’s expenditure, which has been overshooting the budget ceiling over the years, that resources will never be enough while societal needs remain unremitting.

He was however hopeful that the amendments to the Income Tax Act and the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act will motivate increased economic activities.

“The increase of the threshold on VAT from P500,000,00 to P1 million is particularly welcome as it reduces the cost of production for small business people,” he said.