2015: Bad year for Jwaneng
Lebogang Baingapi | Monday December 14, 2015 15:46
He was speaking during Mayor’s ball dinner on Friday. Oodira-Kwenje noted with disappointment that most of the projects, which were scheduled for completion in 2015, have failed. He told the stakeholders that the council tried to assist contractors by paying directly for their materials but the results were disappointing.
He said there was lack of seriousness among the contractors and that they needed to be informed that public funds are being wasted. He cited an example of 25 teachers houses in Unit 5, which were scheduled for completion but to date, they are not even 50% complete.
He however took the blame that as a council, they did not plan for water reticulation, thus delaying the projects. Oodira-Kwenje said Jwaneng is faced with serious accommodation shortage and they were planning to relief the situation with new houses. He urged Ward Development Committees (WDC) to work hand in hand with the council to coordinate the progress of projects.
On a positive note, he said the council has peacefully repatriated squatters to their homes of origin. He noted that Kweneng and Southern Districts have come on board to welcome and assist the said squatters with accommodation and food. He said this time around, their intention was to come up with a sustainable solution and not undertake evictions as it was done in the past.
The major also noted that his roadmap was being accomplished well, saying he managed to secure a seat at the full council for Jwaneng Chamber of Commerce. He also highlighted that they are in negotiations with Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) for them to lease a swimming pool in Jwaneng.
In terms of youth empowerment, he applauded Debswana Jwaneng Mine for showing interest in building operating space for youth businesses. The aim of the event was to reflect back on what Jwaneng has achieved in 2015 and work on their failures to prepare for 2016. Jwaneng Town Council as a utility and service provider depends on stakeholders to deliver quality public service and it is events of this nature where they acknowledge their support and celebrate their achievements, said the mayor.