fatcakes and diphaphatha for ipelegeng today

GOTHATAONE MOENG
Staff Writer | Monday April 2, 2012 00:00

 

The Assistant Minister of Local Government, Maxwell Motowane, told Parliament recently that government had set aside P30 million for implementation of the initiative during the 2012/2013 financial year.

The initiative, which is being implemented countrywide, will be outsourced, Motowane said. All unemployed Batswana who demonstrate a capacity to provide the snacks in their areas of residence have been invited to submit their names to be considered for provision of the service.

The snacks will be at the cost of P2.50 per person per day or P50 per person per month in a 20-day month.

There are approximately 50,000 people currently enrolled on Ipelegeng countrywide.  Motowane told Parliament that there was consultation at various dikgotla prior to this decision being taken.

Nonetheless, the announcement of the on-the-job sustenance scheme was met with some resistance from Ipelegeng workers who said they would have preferred to have the extra expense going to augment their paltry P400 monthly pay. 

Motowane has conceded that teething problems are likely to be experienced in some areas of the country when the programme is rolled out today. The menu, he said, may be reviewed in due course to respond to concerns about its health benefits and certain people's need for special diets.

Motowane was answering a question from the Member of Parliament for Gaborone Central, Dumelang Saleshando, who wanted to know when the scheme would be implemented, the form it would take and its full cost implications.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Gaborone, Haskins Nkaigwa, says the Town Clerk received a petition from Ipelegeng workers in Old Naledi on the initiative last Thursday. Gaborone City Council has not responded to the petition yet.