- – as expenditure under security services vote has already exceeded approved budget
Okavango District Council (ODC) chairman, Gaopalelwe Ronald has advised that the council’s financial position require close monitoring as some expenditure votes are performing at high levels while the authority’s own-source revenue remained low.
The council has an approved Revenue Support Grant of P282.46 million for the 2026/2027 financial year. Its estimated own-source revenue stood at P4.18 million, bringing the total approved budget to P286.64 million.
By July 31, the council had spent P92.69 million, representing about 32 per cent of the total approved budget. However, some areas had recorded significantly higher expenditure.
Expenditure on lighting, gas and water stood at 73 percent, while petrol and lubricants had reached 79 percent. Staff travelling and subsistence expenditure stood at 55 percent.
Security services were the highest concern, having reached approximately 130 per cent of the approved allocation.
Council has already spent about 130 percent of its approved budget for security services, raising concerns over expenditure and financial management at the local authority.
Addressing ODC full meeting this week, Ronald revealed that security services had consumed P8.75 million by July 31, 2026, against an approved budget of P6.75 million. This means expenditure under the security services vote has already exceeded the approved budget by almost P2 million.
Ronald warned that the council’s financial outlook required close monitoring and called for stronger accountability, transparency and adherence to government financial procedures.
He also pointed to the continued underperformance of the council’s own-source revenue as another area requiring attention.
The figures raise questions about what led to security expenditure exceeding the approved allocation before the financial year had progressed halfway.
The council chairman said members and officials have a responsibility to ensure that public resources are managed prudently and that decisions are made in the best interests of residents.
He encouraged councillors to participate actively in deliberations and ensure that decisions taken during the meeting are practical and focused on improving service delivery.
The council’s financial position comes at a time when it is also expected to provide essential services such as roads, drainage, waste management, water and sanitation, social protection and community development.
With only 32 per cent of the total budget spent by July, but security expenditure already at 130 per cent, council will have to carefully manage the remaining funds to avoid pressure on other service-delivery areas.
