Bad press didn't affect our performance - KDC chair

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Friday November 25, 2011 00:00

 

He told a media gathering in Shadishadi this week that though they have apparently been considered the worst performing council in the country by the media, council performance reviews by the Ministry of Local Government placed them in either position one or two in various performance areas last year.

He said that performance is based on progress made in building and maintaining district roads, in the provision of potable water, primary school supplies and infrastructure, sanitation and waste management and in the provision of social services. Public complaints received from the community are also a useful guide he said.

Councilor Leo said that they recently opened hostel accommodation valued at P18 million for school children of remote area dwellers in Shadishadi. The school hostel, which has capacity of 250, currently holds about 200 children from Shadishadi, Sojwe and neighbouring cattle posts.

Council Secretary Wazha Tema added that the facility was built for the comfort of the children who are mostly from cattle posts and hard to reach areas, which the KDC built so that they could be closer to their school.

'The facility is equipped with game rooms where children can play indoor games like table tennis, squash, scrabble, do aerobics and others,' he said. However, he noted that some of the resources are not being fully utilised because the children need to be taught how to use them. 'It is a great facility. We are only lacking teachers to show them how to play some games. However, many are showing interest only in outdoor games,' he said.

Councilor Leo said that they have also completed Tsetseng Clinic under difficult circumstances and that at some point they even terminated the tender with the contractor and had difficulty financing the project.

'The state of art Tsetseng clinic will be handed over to the Ministry of Health soon,' he said.Meanwhile, the council chairman said that due to their proximity to Gaborone, they are experiencing rapid growth of the villages in the Kweneng District - especially those of Mogoditshane, Mmopane, Metsimotlhabe, Gabane, Kumakwane and Kopong.

'The high demand for accommodation in Gaborone has contributed to this growth, the an extent that even Molepolole, which is a bit far, is being affected by this population growth,' he said.

He said that the recent national population and housing census showed Molepolole (67,598 residents) as the largest village in the country, followed by Mogoditshane (57,637 people).  This is a great challenge to us particularly regarding the provision of sanitation and waste management facilities,' he said.