20 Mar 2013

Kgatleng District Council has been implored to work closely with Remote Area Development Programme (RADP) beneficiaries to empower them so that they could improve their lives for the better.

Addressing the Kgatleng District full council meeting on RADP status, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said out of the 67 RADP settlements nationally, there is only one RADP settlement in Kgatleng, being Kgomodiatshaba.

She revealed that remote area communities continue to be the most affected by poverty and were increasingly becoming dependent on welfare support from the state. 

The assistant minister called on councils to spearhead the local empowerment and poverty eradication programme to make sure that beneficiaries could have improved lifestyles thereby reducing dependency on government.

She further added that members of the community from RADP settlements should be assisted on time especially that they do not have access to services as compared to other villages.

Ms Tshireletso also announced that there were 137 RADP primary school going pupils, 50 at junior secondary school, three at BOCODOL, and four at each senior secondary and local tertiary institutions while only one is outside the country.

He said this was commendable as it showed how Kgatleng council is committed to assisting the young children to further their education.

She advised the council to consider employing those students when they complete their studies.

Presenting the affirmative action in Kgomodiatshaba, deputy council secretary Mpho Moruakgomo who is mandated to make sure the programme runs smoothly said the orphan care program has 17 beneficiaries while the destitution program has 36 beneficiaries who are provided with monthly rations, toiletry and other educational necessities.

He said during the current financial year, shelter has been provided for 12 beneficiaries at Kgomodiatshaba and ten houses have been completed and two were at completion stage.

Mr Moruakgomo said existing RADP projects are a bakery in Kgomodiatshaba operated by two beneficiaries and who have a tender to supply two hostels and five primary schools.

He said Kgomodiatshaba multi cooperative society has been given the tender to supply all the beneficiaries with their social safety nets.

Mr Moruakgomo said the challenge for the two projects is dependency on Council either for tenders or transportation as far as stocking and making deliveries.

He said the situation was worsened by human resource personnel as today’s crop of workers does not want to work in settlements or small villages.

Some Councilors argued that villages like Ramotlabaki and Oliphant’s Drift should have been included in the RADP programme as the life situation there needs attention and assistance from government. ENDS