MOLEPOLOLE - The village development committees (VDCs), home-based care volunteers and Ipelegeng workers in Kweneng District would now be paid on time following President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khamas intervention.

President Khama told the Minister of Local Government, Mr Lebonaamang Mokalake, to end the late payment of allowances.

It must be the last time to hear about such problems in Kweneng District, said the President during a kgotla meeting he addressed in Botlhapatlou last week.

President Khama expressed concern that people were not paid allowances while civil servants got their salaries every month without any delay.

Minister Mokalake, who accompanied the President, was told to stop the late payments after several residents complained that sometimes it takes three to four months to get their payments.

The complaints were raised by both residents of Mogonono and Botlhapatlou.

The problem of late payment seemed to have extended to even council employees as those based in Botlhapatlou were never paid Remote Area Dwellers.

Allowance (RASA) although their counterparts in central government were enjoying the allowance.

The council staff complained that they have been pursuing the issue of RASA since 2006.

Deputy council secretary, Mr Moitsiemang Monthe said the council was still trying to source funds to pay RASA arrears.

He said over P900 000 was needed.

For his part, Minister Mokalake ordered the council to provide him with a report this week.

He said if the council did not have funds to pay people, it should have informed his office.

Mr Mokalake said it was wrong for the council to take such a long time without paying employees.

In Mogonono, Kgosi Goitseone Sekgwa complained about the problem of stock-theft in their village. She therefore called for more police patrols.

She further requested the government to reticulate electricity to their village instead of expecting them to depend on solar power.

We want proper electricity.

Kgosi Sekgwa further appealed to the government to increase the number of classrooms by three at Mogonono Primary School.

She said the school was forced to teach pupils under trees due to shortage of classrooms.

Ms Sekgwa also asked for the provision of telephone lines at both the clinic and primary school.

Responding to the issue of provision of electricity, Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Mr Ponatshego Kedikilwe said Mogonono was not yet included in the villages to be electrified.

He however told them that solar power was also proper electricity.

And, Kweneng District Council chairman, Mr Motlhophi Leo said shortage of funds had hampered the council from increasing the number of classrooms at the village school.

He also noted that as the village did not have BTC network, the council has resorted to buying airtime of P60 each for the school head and nurse at the clinic to cater for emergencies.

Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Frank Ramsden informed the residents that their village would be included in Nteletsa 2 programme.

He told them that a company has been awarded a tender to carry-out the project.

Mr Ramsden reminded them to register their sim cards to avoid disconnection at the end of December.

In Botlhapatlou, the VDC chairman, Mr Keimetswe Keokopile thanked the government for programmes such as Ipelegeng and ISPAAD as they managed to assist a lot of people.

They however requested the government to reticulate electricity to their village.

Mr Keokopile complained that reticulation of electricity to their village was always postponed year to year.

The VDC also requested the government to tar the Hatsalatladi/Boatlaname Road as it was in a bad state.

Mr Keokopile further told the President that their village was promised a tribal administration office since 1994.

They also requested the President to purchase the VDC a tent.

Responding, Mr Kedikilwe noted that if everything went according to plan the village will be electrified next year.

Giving a vote of thanks, the area MP Mr Liakat Kablay thanked the president for visiting the area to hear the peoples problems.

He thanked the President for constituency tournaments saying they were a form of recreation for the youth. Mr Kablay complained that it seemed Letlhakeng East was forgotten in terms of developments.

He called for the construction of a senior secondary school in the area.BOPA