All eyes on Aganang mayor as she tells people where the money will go for 2015/2016

Desmond Boshego

LIMPOPO – THE adoption of the Intergrated Development Programme (IDP) and budget for the 2015/16 financial year paved a way for the smooth roll-out of services in the next financial year, said the Aganang mayor, Maria Mokobodi.

Mokobodi spoke during the tabling of the budget at Seema hall in Ga-Matlala on Friday.

She said the budget was seen as an important tool in assisting the municipality to ensure all the needs from the communities were considered and delivered accordingly.

Mokobodi said the municipality had started with environmental programmes, including rural waste collection in 10 pilot villages and would soon start with the construction of its own landfill site.

The municipality encouraged communities to reduce, recycle and re-use waste.

“Over a period of time, the road infrastructure of Aganang has changed for the better as we continue to build roads, which connects villages and support economic growth of the area. We are currently constructing roads on Rampuru internal street and Mohlonong to Diana clinic phase four,” she said.

The demarcation process of the municipality would not affect the municipality’s commitment to provide services to communities, it is the municipality’s obligation and we would carry it with pride to confront inequality, poverty and unemployment, Mokobodi said.

“As a municipality, we will continue to strive for the improvement of the local economy and ensure money circulates in the municipality before it can be spend outside.

“We have successfully revised the LED strategy which is the road map to economic prosperity of the municipality. Together with the Aganang business chamber, we have successfully partnered with Walk 25, Masesizane, Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) and Warehouse in order to support retail business within the municipality,” Mokobodi said.

Councillor Melidah Mashamaite of African Christian Democratic Party in ward 19, said more job opportunities should be created to reduce crime and the migration of residents.

“We should at least have a complex for our people, which will also show the improvement of the municipality.

“The projects which have failed to be completed and those which are destroyed by heavy rains such as the tar road to Chloe should also be fixed. We cannot take back the money to the national treasury, while we still suffer in our communities,” Mashamaite said.

One of the residents, Jackson Seema (67), said he was proud of his local municipality and felt gratified with the services delivered so far.

“We cannot expect the municipality to deliver services in a period of a week, we should work together rather than to keep on complaining, and by doing this we can better our lives,” Seema said.