Summit 2020-Mafeteng Urban Council COE

Mafeteng Urban Council is located in the   capital city of Mafeteng in Lesotho. The South African border town to Mafeteng is Wepener.The town has a population of around 41,357. Administratively, it is within Mafeteng district Economically the town lies in the centre of a wheat and maize growing area, and agriculture is the main industry. It is also having dams and beautiful mountains.

There is a gender policy and action plan that incorporates the Post 2015 SADC Gender Protocol, SDGs and other relevant targets. There are 14 councillors in the council, eight men and six women. The mayor of the council is man while the deputy major is woman, however within the three committees that council have, two are chaired by women, which are in social and gender committees as well as in essential services committee.

The Management of the council consists of three women in management, the two being in the position of town clerk and Assistant Administration Officer; there are five females while males are eight. The council has more women in non-traditional areas than men. The woman councillor with disability is in a planning committee actively participates in decision makings, she also processes and scrutinizes reports given in the council.

There is a provision for maternity leave and nursing hour of three months paid, for paternity leave they are given only 10 days. After the first three months of giving birth the mother is additionally given nursing hours for another three months. The council does not have a sexual harassment policy but report cases at the police station for all cases. There is no flexi time for employees, however, the family responsible days are given. The council is having the disability friendly facilities like toilets and entrances. There is equal participation of women, men, people living with disability (PWD) and youth at the public meetings and events. Between 76%-100% women participate in public consultations.

Mafeteng Urban Council gender related budget for 2019 to 2020

Category	Budget 2019	Budget 2020
Gender policy and action plan communications and visibility	M 50,000.00	M 60,000.00
Gender management system	M 40,000.00	M 48,000.00
Resources allocated to gender-responsive local economic development	M 225,000.00	M 240,000.00
Public health SRHR HIV/AIDS	M 65,000.00	M 76,000.00

In terms of local economic development, the council promote local entrepreneurship. Market places are designed to accommodate all categories of people that is women, men, people living with disability.

Council got finances from Alliance and chamber of business and small business as to assist small businesses.200 people assisted with M400.00 to grow their business where 90 of those businesses are for women,20 are for youths and 70 businesses are owned by men. In addition to that, the council encourages entrepreneurs to form credit and savings cooperatives; which are open to all sectors of the community to participate. They help them grow their businesses without being in debt. Associations and support groups are encouraged for different groups of hawkers and street vendors.

The council's land is inherently not arable. It is therefore prone to extreme climate change related disasters such as strong winds, drought and hail; hence denying its people of good harvest especially in areas like Paballong, Motse-Mocha and Ha-Matsepe. The council has therefore encouraged its populace, especially women to form cooperatives; solicit external funding and use greenhouses to produce food as a climate change adaptation measure to ensure food security.

On the other hand,site Development Activity Permit (SDAP) ii Projects on solid waste management, gravel roads, development fund. In SADP II- safe crop production by giving shade nets and green houses and good irrigation. Under solid waste management the collection of waste to the dumping site, fencing of dump site to prevent scavenging done by women and children and procurement of TLB to bury recyclable waste and paving of town areas. All these projects are done by all categories of people.

Council is responsible in land allocations and keeps sex disaggregated data. 30% of commercial sites were allocated to single women in December 2019; Single women given 12 sites, women and men 26 sites while PWD are given 2 sites. Moreover, there is water committee led by WASCO and there have been water extensions and changing of asbestos pipes to plastic pipes at Hospital area. There were also installation of water taps and tip tanks at new bus top area to respond to covid 19 pandemic.

The council engaged casual labourers to collect sanitary pads to give to adolescent girls at schools. The examples are where 3 high schools received 3 boxes sanitary pads while 2 primaries got 2 boxes. All people are given equally treatment with council services and projects.

Click here to read more about the Mafeteng Urban Council