As the North West District Council (NWDC) convened for the last full session this week before the upcoming general elections, Chairman Itumeleng Kelebetseng and some councillors have reflected on achievements and challenges they encountered during their five-year political term.
Kelebetseng leaves office a happy man, in that council managed to build more than 50 houses under the Rural Area Development Programme (RADP) between 2019-2024. He indicated that while majority of them were completed and already handed over to the beneficiaries it’s only a few which are still under construction.
The same applies for destitute housing, which Kelebetseng indicated that from all the 162 projects they did between 2019 and 2024, 156 have been completed while the remaining 6 are at different final stages. Under the Constituency Community Projects (CCP), the chairman noted that its only 10 which are still ongoing while the rest (43) have been completed.
Kelebetseng is also pleased that they are leaving office having been able to advocate for the construction of a fully-fledged primary school worth P87 million at Senonnori which is currently underway. He added that the solar electrification of Khwai Primary School is also complete.
“Under the Economic Stimulus Programme, we were constructing tribal offices in the financial years of 2019/20, 2021/22, with some having been completed while the remaining ones are ongoing. 2022/23 there were 9 maintenance projects out of which only one is not yet complete, the same with the year 2023/2024,” Kelebetseng added.
Bojanala ward councilor, Luke Motlaleselelo said the biggest challenge they encountered was that council relied on support grants from government, out of which the bulk pays salaries, with a small amount channeled towards developments.
“So the challenge is that councils are not given enough money by government. Our wishes to develop this area are many as north west district councilors but we are limited because of funding,” he noted.
Motlaleselelo is however delighted that they managed to completed some notable projects among the paving of several roads, the ongoing construction of new offices at the main kgotla as well as that of Senonnori and Rwee Primary schools.
For his part, Sedie ward councilor, Kaukapita Kaukapita is happy that they are closing council having been able to make an input in the development of the National Development Plan 12/District Development Plan 9 (NDP12/DDP9). “Those who will be coming in after the general elections will be doing implementation of a plan that was developed by us,” he said.
Kaukapita also highlighted council’s achievement in approving the Maun Development Plan 2023-2043.
The veteran councilor, regrets that despite efforts made to build enough classrooms in schools in the district, children were still being taught in the open due to a shortage of classrooms.
