North West government spends R780k on new donkey carts with three-year maintenance plan

The North West department of community safety said it has spent R780,000 on acquiring 20 donkey carts which it has given to villagers in the Dibono and Manwana districts outside Mahikeng. 

This fee also includes a service plan. 

“In line with the National Land Transport Act, NLTA, this seeks to alleviate challenges faced by rural communities. The carts were manufactured in Lonely Park in Mafikeng and there had been a skills transfer to some of the beneficiaries. As part of the contract with the department, the service provider will maintain the carts for the next three years at no costs to owners. The twenty carts were procured for a total of R 780,000 inclusive of the three-year maintenance plan. The two-seater is R32,500 each and the four-seater is R45,500,” said the office of MEC Sello Lehari.

Lehari on Thursday participated in a handover ceremony for the animal-drawn carts, which have government branding on the side.

Most of the beneficiaries are said to be women. 

His office issued a statement after Thursday's events, expressing excitement over the project, saying it hoped it would better the lives of community members. 

The carts are reportedly used to ferry the sick to clinics, pupils to schools, people needing assistance to and from the shops and the elderly to pension pay-points. 

Lehari told the community to take care of the carts.

“This mode of transport has been used for a very long time. Years back we also travelled to school and shops. It is a very reliable mode of transport when you take a good care of these donkeys, feed them and maintain the cart,” he advised.

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