Premier in Mafefe to speed up services

THE poor state of infrastructure in the Mafefe area in Lepelle-Nkumpi Mucipality is likely to change, following a recent visit to the village by Limpopo’s premier, Stanley Mathabatha and his MEC’s as part of the Executive Committee Outreach Public Participation Programme.

The main objective of the visit was to give villagers an opportunity to talk to government about service delivery and other issues, including crime and community projects.

Complaints were raised about the shortage of clinics, crèches, clean water, electricity and tarred roads.

The premier said he was certain that all the MECs would sit down and draft a plan that would benefit the village. “I am expecting reports from them stating a way forward that will be guided by their budgets,” he said.

“We have identified two families who qualify for RDP houses and I promise to sit down with the department of housing so that they can start with the construction as soon as possible,” said Mathabatha.

He further said that parents should take charge of their children’s lives and encourage them to focus on their studies, instead of criminal activities. Mathabatha ended his speech by saying villagers had massive powers to direct the leadership where they wanted them.

Victoria Thobejane, the village’s women and children representative, spoke about the high rate of women and children abuse in the area. “The only problem we have is that women tend to protect their husbands by denying criminal acts that take place in their homes.”

She urged the community to form support groups that would assist the abuse victims and fight to put the abusers behind bars.

While appealing to the premier and his executives to host workshops in the area that would educate people about the consequences that come with crime, Nkululeko Phasha, youth representative said recreation centres should be established so that young people can have a place to play and establish projects rather than engage in criminal activities.

MEC of agriculture, Rosina Semenya said the department already spent R20 million that had been used to buy tractors, manure and other farming tools for villagers to use to farm and sell vegetables and fruit so that they can put food on the table for their families.

Health and social development MEC, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba dwelled on the high rate of teenage pregnancy. She said young girls tend to practice unsafe sex, to fall pregnant and register for social grants so they could use these grants to do their hair, rather than buying what is necessary for their children.

“I would like to urge young people to focus on their studies to build a solid foundation to a better future,” she said.