Kgatleng councillors lament lack of consultation on ESP
Tefo Pheage | Thursday March 17, 2016 15:16
The councillors’ main concern was that the government did not consult them on the ESP to know their priority demands. The debate was led by the council chairperson, Mpho Morolong, who said Bakgatla have their priority needs than what is being put before them.
“We are not saying they are not important but in the future know that when you design anything for people you consult them first,” he said.
His comments were shared by his assistant, Stephen Makhura, who further advised the government to utilise the Pilane Industrial site to create permanent jobs.
The councillors said this on Tuesday when the vice president, Mokgweetsi Masisi briefed them on the ESP.
Masisi informed councillors that the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) has been part of the ESP since inception to detect and help craft a corruption-free package.
Masisi overheard one councillor dismissing the ESP as a grand ploy to encourage corruption and wastage on a grand scale by the elites.
A visibly irritated Masisi said all has been done to make sure that nobody abuses the programme to their advantage. “All measures have been put in place to make sure the programme benefits Batswana as planned. When the programme was formulated we made sure that the DCEC is part of the team to advice, monitor and later detect any crime once the programme has been rolled out,” he said.
Masisi cautioned Batswana to be wary of people who shoot down the ESP as they are misleading them. He told the councillors that their district has not been left out by the ESP.
Masisi said he will be updating cabinet after every three weeks on the ESP progress.
“They will be grading roads in Kgatleng, maintaining schools, connecting electricity, building staff houses and land servicing, among others,” Masisi said.
“The ESP will develop Matsieng Foot print facility to enhance its profitability. They will build Linchwe and Oodima Junior Schools staff houses, connect electricity in Bokaa, Modipane, Oodi, Mochudi and Rasesa; construct the Modipane/Mabalane road, maintain Bakgatla Junior Secondary School and service land in Morwa, Pilane and Bokaa,” he said.
Masisi said he supports the idea of the industrial site and job creation and said he will share the idea with the relevant Ministers.