21 Sep 2017

Ms Roda Sekgororwane says democracy is never complete if a certain section of people are left behind.

Commenting on the mayor’s address to the council, Ms Sekgororwane complained that the mayor’s address did not cover issues of gender equity.

She said Gaborone City Council (GCC) had established a gender branch office early this year but the leadership of the council was not interested in issues of gender.

On other issues, the outspoken councillor said service delivery in Gaborone was moving at a snails pace and called on the supervisors of councils to conduct random visits to various offices and sites to get first-hand information.

She also appealed to the council leadership to give the supervisors support in order for them to improve on service delivery. The councillor complained about the lack of cutting of vegetation along internal roads which she said distract motorists.

She agreed with the mayor that street lighting in Gaborone was a thorny issue as the city was literally dark adding that there was no electricity at Mophane primary school.
Ms Sekgororwane also complained that some storm water drainage systems were covered by sand from soil erosions and further decried pot holes on internal roads at her ward Tlogatloga.

Councillor for Marulamantsi Mr Sargent Kgosietsile who complained that the mayor’s speech left councillors hanging in a limbo adding that the mayor’s speech covered a lot of problems  without providing solutions.

Councillor Kgosietsile further complained that the Mayor and the Town Clerk never address meetings in various wards in Gaborone to get feedback from the residents.

He said though the mayor came up with better ideas, implementation was a major problem hence “taking the city down the drain”.

The Councillor advised that investigations should be conducted at BITRI, a company that has  been awarded tenders to install street lights in Gaborone.

He said according to his investigations, the company was failing Batswana, alleging that it was not capable.

He also called on the council leadership to come up with ways to alleviate the destitution problem in Gaborone adding that the destitution office was not doing enough to address the situation.

For her part, specially elected Councillor, Veronica Lesole appealed to employees of the council to intensify the collection of funds owed to Council.

She suggested that projects which were not covered under the previous constituency fund must be given first priority in the next financial year.

Mrs Lesole also complained about the bad status of the internal roads in Gaborone and appealed that something be done.

She also criticized the mayor for failing to address the  meetings since he became the first citizen of this city.

Another Special Elected Councillor, Macdonald Peloetletse raised concerns over the increasing number of roaming animals in the city which  he said were the major causes of  road accidents.

Though he applauded the mayor for his good speech which reflects the true state of the city, he said that a lot of issues have been left out. Ends