25 Aug 2024

Bobirwa District Council (BDC) has achieved  98 per cent completion of projects many of which are in use while others await occupation, says council secretary Mr Milton Keitshokile.

Appraising the community on progress of infrastructure projects funded between 2019 and 2024, Mr Keitshokile said 509 of the 520 funded projects were completed while the remaining would be completed by end of the financial year.

Mr Keitshokile said Bobirwa District Council had proved that they were worthy of the mandate bestowed upon them despite the challenges faced in the process.

The infrastructure projects in question are those which have been undertaken by the council through its various units.

They were funded under remote area dwellers programme, destitute housing, road maintenance through road levy, school maintenance, Ipelegeng and constituency community projects.

Ninety destitute houses have been completed while six were in progress.

Of the 100 RADP houses, 97 were completed while the remaining three will be completed this financial year.

Also, 194 constituency community projects were completed while seven are in progress among other projects that constituted the 509 in question.

Also, 314 776 people were engaged through Ipelegeng.

“That’s our big footprints,” Mr Keitshokile said and added that the numbers were a testament that his council was capable of delivering the projects as mandated.

He said that achievement was a significant milestone at a time when the council had shortage of skilled staff like architects and quantity surveyors.

“But with the recent upgrading to a full district we’ve since filled more vacant posts with skilled personnel and as such the challenges are gradually addressed,” he said.

While applauding the council for being the pathfinders in projects implementation and subsequently celebrating the milestones, deputy permanent secretary (development) in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Mpho Morapedi said the completed projects be put to good use for the benefit of intended beneficiaries.

While being put into good use, the infrastructure developments should also be cared for so that they last long while also serving the purpose for which they were designed, Mr Morapedi said.

Whereupon he commended all role players, Mr Morapedi noted that there were 2 432 jobs created during execution of the projects. The figure excludes Ipelegeng beneficiaries.

He said, “Part of the broader picture of these developments was to, among other things, help eradicate poverty while also helping dignify the less-privileged by putting a roof over their heads through RADP and destitute housing.”

Mr Morapedi said the celebration of milestones was in partial fulfilment of government planning and monitoring where developments were planned, implemented and then reviewed after some specified period to check if they satisfied set expectations.

Although he commended Bobirwa for the successful implementation of projects, Mr Morapedi said that the biggest development to ever come to the region was upgrading the then sub-district into a full district.

“Back then you drew plans and submitted them in Serowe then headquarters of the now defunct Central District Council but these days whatever plans you come with are considered here and if and when approved, are immediately implemented without taking the long route,” he said.

Mr Kgomotso Mmereki, the council chairperson, advocated for increment of CCP funds saying it had the capacity to deliver projects in time and within specifications.

He was proud that many projects were delivered by local contractors, the move he said was birthed by then PMC committee with senior assistant council secretary to award jobs to local contractors. ENDS