GCC poverty eradication coffers run dry

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday October 8, 2015 15:16

“Our council does not have money to assist those people. It should be clear that we had managed to assist 1,131 people since the programme started. Now the money we have can only assist 106 people.  The 106 are those that we have assessed and some of the materials that they needed were not bought last year,” said Mathe.  He said they have asked for funds from the central government to assist the applicants.

“I had hoped that the assistant minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Phillip Makgalemela would today come and explain how we should deal with this backlog,” he said.  He said the P487,227 they have would only assist 106 people who had been approved.  “The 2,000 people have not been assessed. They will be assessed when council has found money but we are still receiving more applications from people. The other problem that we are likely to face is whether some of these people are staying in Gaborone or not,” he said.

The City Clerk asked councillors to work hand in hand with council officials to address the issue.

Makgalelemela did not attend the full council as expected, as he was said to have an urgent meeting at Office of the President.