Dikgosi call for tighter Ipelegeng supervision

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday October 14, 2016 17:00

 

Debating a motion calling for government to cease Ipelegeng programme yesterday, dikgosi  told Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Botlogile Tshireletso that there is need to tighten supervision of workers.

“The programme is encouraging laziness to most of our youth because they do not want to work rather some prefer Ipelegeng.  This is because people work for only a few hours and they get free magwinya and tea.  We are encouraging the spirit of dependency, which we cannot sustain going forward,” the mover of the motion, Kgosi Galeakanye Modise of Tswapong region said. 

Modise said in all the consultative meetings he held with his people, it was clear that Ipelegeng should be stopped. “Only Seolwane people wanted the programme to continue. People should be taught to be independent.  Again some prefer Ipelegeng because they believe that the job is light.  At least it should be done like the old drought relief where people were taking it seriously,” he said.

When debating on the motion, Kgosi Justice Moseki of Ghanzi region said, “I don’t support this motion simply because my people around Ghanzi depend on it.  I agree with you only on the issue of supervision.  These people must not be paid when they don’t take their job seriously”. Kgosi Seate Marumo of Kanye region also agreed with Moseki that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development should review certain things in the programme. “This would make some people, especially youth, not get too comfortable with it and look for jobs.  Employees of Ipelegeng should rotate.  In other places the programme is doing well because they do build kgotla and other important things.  In other areas they are just made to sweep the roads,” Marumo said.

However, a majority of dikgosi disagreed, saying  that the programme should not be stopped but rather  suggested that the Ministry looks into improving Ipelegeng and tightening screws for it to be efficient.

 Responding to the motion, Tshireletso said that Ipelegeng is broad, as it involves clusters and special constables amongst others.

“The programme has employed 64,191 people.  I will take dikgosi’s advise that we should tighten guidelines for labour people in Ipelegeng. To be honest the programme has benefited Batswana a lot because some were able to put food on the table, while others built houses after being employed under this programme.  I think the problem we made is excluding dikgosi when it came to supervision of people in this programme and we will look into it,” Tshireletso said.