Africa-Press – Botswana. Councillors Anderson Mathibe and Neo Segaisi are Letlhakeng District Council’s chairperson and deputy respectively.
The duo were elected during a special full council meeting on Monday.
Cllr Mathibe beat former Letlhakeng Sub-district Council chairperson, Mr Meshack Tshenyego, garnering nine votes against the latter’s seven, to be at the helm of the council.
Cllr Segaisi also garnered nine votes to become the council’s deputy chairperson, after beating Cllr Lopang Sebutlenyane who got seven votes.
The elections followed the upgrade of the Letlhakeng Sub-district to a fully-fledged district last year.
Addressing councillors prior to the start of a special council meeting and the elections, acting council secretary, Mr Joseph Segopa said it was important for the new district to have new leadership, including the council committees’ chairperson and deputy as well as leader of the house and that of opposition.
Mr Segopa said among critical issues to discuss were the Council Standing Orders and Bye-Laws and their finalisation.
Accepting the chair, Cllr Mathibe thanked the councillors for entrusting him with the leadership of Letlhakeng District Council.
“This does not, however, mean I am more knowledgeable or wiser than any of you. We are going to work as a team to deliver the council mandate to the constituents. We also need to work together in order to improve the lives of Letlhakeng residents,” he said.
He added that teamwork remained integral in improving service delivery as well as reaching out to the people.
Members of Parliament for Letlhakeng/Lephepe and Takatokwane, Messrs Liakat Kablay and Friction Leuwe, respectively, attended the special full council meeting to witness the historic moment.
Both the legislators said in an interview that government’s decision to upgrade the sub-district would assist the district to make decisions that would see service delivery as well as lives of constituents improved.
“The decision came at the right time when Letlhakeng was left behind in terms of development and service delivery as there were delays in decision-making as the leadership always had to consult others before being given a go ahead,” Mr Kablay said.
He added that tenders were also delayed given that the tender committee convened elsewhere and locals were as a result left out in awarding of tenders.
For his part, MP Leuwe indicated that the new council would be able to make own decisions, saying, ‘you will be able to prioritise developments looking at the needs of the constituents’.
“The new leadership will now be in-charge of the council budget and be able to decide on what to do in times of need to attend to serious matters in the district,” he added.
He, therefore, advised the new council leadership to ensure that they delivered on their mandate so that people would continue to trust them.
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