Kgatleng council in financial distress
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday March 27, 2023 06:00
He revealed that the financial expenditures of the council as of February 28, 2023, stood at P165.2 million against its budget of P156.8 million, which reflects an over-expenditure of P26.7 million as it includes other expenditures not listed here.
“This demonstrates that the council’s financial position was inadequate to cover the overall running of the council. This simply indicates that the council is in the red and the matter is worsened by poor performance of own source revenue collection initiatives,” Molokwe said.
He said from the targeted collection of P8.3 million, they managed to collect P6.4 million by February 28, 2023, indicating an under collection of P2.6 million. Molokwe, however, said this is a cause for concern and the council needs to work hard to raise more revenue. With regard to the 2023/24 budget, he said the council received Revenue Support Grant (RSG) ceilings and this financial year the RSG stands at P155.7 million inclusive of a five percent salary increase value of P6.4 million, a VDC allowance increase of P196,000, salaries of P372,000 and an insurance value of P572,000.
Furthermore, he said due to this very limited budget, the council will have to rationalise services. He told councillors, that the council is in the process of totally ceasing the issuance of cheques and currently, it has migrated to electronic payments like e-Wallet services to pay the Village Development Committee (VDC) members their sitting allowances.
Molokwe said consultations are ongoing with all stakeholders regarding the development and the council’s goal is to totally discontinue the use of cheques by December 31, 2023. Meanwhile, on issues of land allocation, Molokwe said as of March 2023, the Kgatleng Land Board allocated a total of 1,088 residential plots, consisting of 124 plots at Morwa, 270 at Bokaa and 691 plots at Artesia from the approved layouts.
(He said the target for the 2022/23 financial year is 3280) and Artesia Subordinate Land Board still has 44 residential plots pending allocation, which will be allocated by end of March 2023. Of the plots remaining in the target, he said 2,192 are still under the tender awarded to local private surveyors. “The tender was unfortunately delayed by appeals against the procurement process but have since been resolved and work will continue in earnest,” he said. In addition to the plots that form the district target for 2022/23, Molokwe stated that the district has new layouts that have also been submitted for outsourcing with the Department of Surveys & Mapping, the layouts as designed have been approved by the Physical Planning Committee and will yield a total of 2,617 plots available at Makakatlela, Kgomodiatshaba, Leshibitse, Artesia, Modipane and Bokaa, 2,537 will be for residential use while 80 will be other uses.
It is important to note that registration for the secure land title is ongoing and one can now register without providing a copy of the marital regime. He further stated that the Kgatleng Land Board managed to register over 60 Secure Land Titles at the Artesia Sub Land Board and seven titles at the Mochudi Sub Land Board. The Kgatleng Land Board is still continuing with the preparatory activities for the issuance of titles across the district.