25 Nov 2014

Francistown district commissioner, Ms Cordelia Mpape has urged newly elected councilors to commit their efforts in working for the community.

Speaking after their swearing in the councillors in Francistown on November 24, Ms Mpape said councillors should be indebted to improving the lives of Batswana and to protecting the constitution.

Earlier on, the deputy town clerk, Mr Robert Letlole had explained that the swearing in would be followed by the councillors’ orientation and a special full council meeting on December 2. During the special full council meeting, the councilors would elect the council leadership, he said.

In an interview, Councillor Shadreck Nyeku of Phillip Matante East said he was hopeful that the projects which were suspended in 2009 such as the sewerage master plan would be carried out as the economy was now improving. He suggested that the project should be done in phases until it was finished because it needed large sums of money.

Councillor Nyeku, who is not a new comer to the city’s council, said the lifespan of most of the internal roads had expired; as such, he was hopeful that during the current council the roads would be renewed.

ouncillor Lesego Kwambala said his presence in the council was all about the people he represented. He said he was optimistic that through all the council debates, the council would be aiming for the betterment of the lives of their voters.

“As councilors we should take our voters seriously because by voting us they have shown confidence that we can satisfactorily represent them,” said Councillor Kwambala.

He said although he believed that the current council should not be more about infrastructural development, he felt the sewerage master plan should be revisited.

He noted that his Itekeng Ward was one of those affected by lack of a sewerage master plan, adding that Francistown was hard hit by unemployment and, through motions, the councilors should be able to assist the government in coming up with a solution.

“As councillors we should engage the private sector more, as well as the people of Francistown to start investing instead of waiting to be employed,” he said. ENDS