GCC owes KDC millions

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Tuesday June 28, 2011 00:00

 

Opening the second council session yesterday morning, KDC chairman, Motlhophi Leo said as at April this year, they are owed about P7 million by companies that dispose of  waste at Gamodubu landfill, among them GCC which has a bill of more than P4 million.  These arrears are effective from October 2009 when the landfill was commissioned.  He revealed that they spend almost P400,000 a month to run the facility.  Leo told the council that a letter reminding the GCC to pay up was sent in February this year but the council has remained mum on the issue to this day (yesterday). He said that reminder letters were also sent to other debtors in December last year but most of the companies are yet to pay up.  The council has given some of them final reminder letters to honour their agreements. 'This month final reminder letters are being distributed to companies with a 14 days notice pay,' he said.

Leo said that though it can be argued that the landfill was constructed for the southern part of the country, the reality is that all the running costs are borne by the KDC and they have to recover those costs. 'A meeting is still to be convened with GCC to further discuss this matter,' he said. He revealed that GCC accounts for about 80 percent of the total monthly waste deposition at the landfill.

Meanwhile, GCC deputy town clerk Senatla Rutherford has told Mmegi that the matter has been transferred to primary health office at the Ministry of Local Government.  'It is an administrative issue so I am told it has been elevated to primary health office at the ministry,' he said.

However, acting director of primary health department, Ludick Steven said that there has been no formal communication from either KDC or GCC on the matter. He said that usually when a council owes another they should officially communicate and find out how they can settle the matter. 'It is a matter they should officially discuss and solve. We can only provide advice and technical support on issues relating to waste management.

This one is an administrative issue and they should handle it,' he said. He said that KDC should visit agreements they made with GCC on the regional landfill when Gaborone landfill was closed in 2007. 'Gamodubu is a regional landfill. KDC should provide proof of what was agreed on the landfill and should officially bring it to the attention of GCC,' he said.