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The small farming town of Dealesville, surrounded by salt pans and springs, holds great potential for economic growth. Unfortunately, the Tokologo Local Municipality has neglected a funded Salt Pans Project that could have provided much-needed job opportunities and uplifted the community.

The municipality received support from Letsatsi Solar to advance the Salt Pans Project outlined in the Tokologo Draft IDP 2016/2017. Renovations were made to the project site offices, new furniture was purchased, and a transformer was installed for electricity access. This initiative came with a significant investment of over R500,000.

Regrettably, Tokologo failed to deliver on its promise to hand over the building to the cooperative working on the project. This blatant disregard for the municipality's vision of creating conditions for economic growth and improving residents' lives is deeply concerning.

The consequences of this neglect are evident. The project building has been vandalized, with doors, windows, ceilings, and furniture looted or destroyed. Even the transformer has been stolen. The current unemployment rate across the municipality is 61.3%. The dreams of community members working in the salt pans have been shattered, while the keys to the project building remain locked away in the municipal manager's office. Please see pictures here, here, here and here.

In response to this issue, the DA has posed a question to the Mayor, demanding clarity on the project and why the real beneficiaries were denied the opportunity to formalize their hard work and contribute to the community's prosperity.

The DA remains committed to holding the Tokologo Local Municipality accountable and fighting for the rights of the community. By addressing this neglect and ensuring transparency and fairness, we can empower the residents of Dealesville and provide them with the opportunities they deserve.

Issued by Hismajesty Maqhubu - DA Councillor Tokologo Local Municipality