Zeerust – The village of Mogopa in the North West could celebrate this week when the provincial government came knocking at its door to hear firsthand from residents what their needs and concerns were.
Mogopa is about 80km south-east of Zeerust and has 530 households and is home to about 2 000 residents.
The North West province is running its Setsokotsane programme which seeks to deliver key government services to underserved areas of the province.
The programme, which is making its way within the Ramotshere Moiloa local municipality over the next two weeks, came to Mogopa on Thursday where overjoyed residents were only too happy to meet with government representatives to discuss much-needed services.
According to a statement from the Premier’s office, the village’s acting local Chief Monedi Kau said that communities in the area had a major request, the proper construction of a 10km road that leads into the village because the current road was of such a poor state.
“We have boreholes that need to be fixed, and we are hopeful that the coming of Setsokotsane to our village will bring about the much needed developments,” Kau added.
Resident Masego Rampu, 52 who belongs to the Semellang Bomme Agricultural Cooperative said that boreholes that were fixed would go a long way in helping the community to save their livestock, and continue to make a livelihood.
North West premier Supra Mahumapelo said that often, for residents living in far outlying areas, accessing essential services such as bursary applications and health screening services proved to be a challenge.
The Setsokotsane programme, he said, aimed to bring these services to these areas.
Residents were able to access services that also included registration of unemployed youth, vaccination of domestic animals, while applications for identity documents and social grant applications that were processed.
The department of culture, arts and traditional affairs registered young artists on their database as they promoted the province’s upcoming Mahika-Mahikeng Music and Cultural Festival that is focused on promoting the province as a dynamic arts and cultural hub.
Mahumapelo said: “The Setsokotsane integration and convergence approach employs government efforts to accelerate service delivery as departments, municipalities and state-owned entities bring the much needed services to the people, for radical socio-economic transformation and better livelihood to be realised.”
Kau said: “Setsokotsane is indeed about changing lives.”
The Setsokotsane Programme is scheduled to travel to Gopane village on Friday.
African News Agency
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