01 Apr 2025

Government owes service providers P7 billion, says President Advocate Duma Boko.

Therefore, President Boko said government still needed to secure the money to pay the service providers. Speaking during a kgotla meeting in Letlhakeng on Monday, President Boko was hopeful that the situation would improve as diamond sales were expected in April.

He said a number of people had lost jobs and companies had shut down as a result of non-payment of suppliers. He was responding to one of the residents, Mr Jacob Lebeko, who stated that there was a delay in his payment for rendering Temo Letlotlo services by ploughing for farmers.

Regarding gender-based violence (GBV) issue raised by both Kgosi Itsoseng Gaoonwe of Letlhakeng in his welcome remarks and resident, Mr Sejeso Marampu, President Boko said the battle against GBV began at individual level and therefore encouraged all to reflect on their contributions toward combating it.

He attributed the persistence of GBV to a decline in moral values and stated that it was crucial for society to educate boys on coexisting peacefully with girls from a young age.

Also, he said government intended to implement reforms in land boards to speed up land allocation, particularly reviewing of land policies and legislation that prolonged or make land allocation a lengthy process.

Mr Boko also expressed disappointment that Letlhakeng District had 57 768 inhabitants, who were serviced by only eight clinics and 15 health posts, saying

it affected health care services. Meanwhile, the Village Development Committee secretary, Ms Kebafilwe Moselesele said they were hopeful that government would bring positive changes to the lives of Batswana, noting that an increase in the old age pension allowance and the introduction of a P300 allowance for newborn babies until they reached one-year, was a step in the right direction.

She highlighted that lack of learning materials in government schools in Letlhakeng remained a challenge; further narrating that health sector in the area was faced with shortage of transport. ENDS