More than P7m in Gab south poverty projects
Maranyane Ngwanaamotho | Monday April 7, 2014 11:02
In the financial year 2012/2013 the council spent a total of P7,090,000 on poverty eradication projects in one constituency out of a budget of P11 million for the whole district of Gaborone.
Well over P7 million was spent on 139 poverty eradication projects in the Gaborone South constituency despite each constituency being allocated only P2 million each financial year.
Public relations manager at GCC, Seeletso Lekgaba says that it was during the implementation period when they realised that the prices did not directly match or correspond to the project guidelines.
In addition, some of the equipment had to be augmented for the smooth running of the businesses given the highly competitive market of Gaborone.
“The council added additional items that in its opinion would make the beneficiaries projects competitive in the prevailing Gaborone City market.
For instance on tent hire project, draping material in assorted colours, carpets, stages, chaffing dishes were purchased,” she revealed.
Further, the council considered the capacity of the equipment to enable beneficiaries to compete and attract customers. The council had to provide bigger washing machines purchased at P12,000 which costs way more than P3,000 which is a price for a normal household machine stipulated in the guidelines.
“Unfortunately in the process GCC exceeded the threshold set out on the project guideline hence a lesser number of beneficiaries assisted,” she explained.
Lekgaba continued to explain that also, the council was forced to enter into an agreement with the suppliers to supply according to their quotation for the whole year without necessarily changing prices to control escalating prices. This would then mean that the mark up on the goods was calculated to cater for any price changes in the whole year.
However, according to Lekgaba, the programme has seen success in all projects.
“For instance, there is a success story for the catering business in Tsholofelo which managed to secure its own market from a local diamond manufacturing company and has created employment for two people,” she said adding that, “there is also a sewing project in Tsholofelo which has marketed itself across the country supplying uniforms to a community junior secondary school in Bobirwa sub district as well as supplying Botswana Power Corporation Lesedi with wonder boxes for cooking.”
Lekgaba stated that there was a hair salon at Old Naledi whereby a beneficiary was able to do home improvement through the proceeds and also diversify the business.
Overall the businesses have been able to create employment for the community and also contributed towards reduction in reliance from the government social safety nets, she continued.
Meanwhile, the remaining constituencies being Gaborone Central, registering 45 projects, Gaborone North registering 59 projects, Gaborone West North with 43 projects, and Gaborone West South with 30 projects had to share the remaining P4 million, Lekgaba said.