22 Feb 2015

The chairperson of the North East District Council (NEDC) Ms Florah Mpetsane has emphasised that addressing shortage of educational facilities remained the council’s priority.

Briefing the full council on progress made regarding project implementation, she said projects under the primary schools backlog eradication programme in the district would be completed in March.

The projects included the construction of facilities such as classrooms, staff houses and ablution blocks at primary schools in Tshesebe, Jackalas 1 and Tsamaya.

She said construction in all three schools had started in May last year, pointing out that so far the project at Tsamaya Primary School had been completed with all facilities handed over to the council.

The council chairperson observed that the projects at Tshesebe and Jackalas 1 were progressing well as they currently stood at 93 and 90 per cent completion rate respectively.

Ms Mpetsane informed the councillors that last year in March, the council was allocated over P22 million for the implementation of the primary schools’ backlog eradication programme to address the shortage of educational facilities.

She said the market stalls in Masunga were complete while those at Ramokgwebana were at 90 per cent completion rate.
Both projects, she noted, were awaiting power and water connections.

She said the district would continue implementing all government programmes aimed at encouraging home ownership by low income earners.

She said during the 2012/2013 financial year, the district had been allocated 34 houses under the Turnkey programme. She noted that so far, a total of 29 houses had been completed and handed over to beneficiaries while the remaining five houses were also about to be completed.

Ms Mpetsane said the district was awaiting the commencement of another batch of 34 houses funded for the 2013/2014 financial year.

She stated that currently the waiting list for the programme stood at 345; saying the council had communicated with the Ministry of Lands and Housing regarding the slow implementation of the Turnkey programme.

As for the home improvement programme, Ms Mpetsane said the district had towards the end of the 2013/2014 financial year been allocated over P1.5 million to address the programme’s backlog. ENDS