18 Jan 2017

Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi has implored residents of Block 2 to make sure they all register during the 2018 voter registration exercise.
Addressing a kgotla meeting on Tuesday, Mr Mmolotsi said the amended Electoral Act which would be used for the 2019 election process only allows for one registration and as such there would be no supplementary registration.

He therefore appealed to the residents to prepare to register during the registration period.

On other changes, he told the residents that registration fees for council and parliamentary candidates had been increased from P100 and P500 toP1 000 and P5 000 respectively.

He further said the amended Electoral Act has also included increased fines for violating of the act such as voter trafficking from P2 500 to P7 500.

The Francistown legislator said the Act would also accommodate the use of electronic voting machine.

He  further said  the economy of the country did not do well and it is anticipated that this year it will grow by 4.1 per cent supported by sectors such as hotels, restaurants, transport, communication.

He cited decline in sales as challenges facing the country’s mineral sectors, adding that synthetic diamond which is cheaper than the real one contributed to the decrease.

MP Mmolotsi also informed residents about the provisional liquidation of BCL and its subsidiary, Tati Nickel Mining Company.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Phase IV Customary court president, Kgosi Masego Masonya implored the residents to be cautious during this rainy season.

He observed that the country continued to record cases of drowning and implored the residents to take care of their children to avoid such cases and even water borne diseases as some children play in the water.

Kgosi Masonya raised a concern about the illegal sales of home brewed beverages such as khadi and others saying the residents were violating the regulations on traditional beers because they were brewed without relevant permits from the kgotla.

Block 2 Ward Development Committee (WDC) chairperson, Mr Maeros Mzawasi decried the high youth unemployment rates and called on government to seriously diversify the economy in order to create employment opportunities.

He complained about the poor rain water drainage system in the area adding that the 200 metres of drainage works by the city council was not enough.

Mr Mzawasi complained about the shortage of books at schools that resulted in parents having to buy for their children.

He implored all residents to play a part in ensuring that the Francistown culture day that would be hosted by the Francistown South constituency becomes a success. Mr Mzawasi applauded the residents for the improvement in discarding used disposable nappies.

A resident, Ms Lydia Kgetse complained about the delay by Water Utilities Corporation to attend to reported pipe bursts and failure to attend to the drain spillage between Block 2 and Block 3.
Ms Keitumetse Kgalemang complained that she was trained in 2015 for a poverty eradication project but to date had not been funded or updated on her application for the project.
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n response the area councillor, Mr Biki Mbulawa explained that the purchasing of school books was delayed due to a legal battle surrounding the tender.
Councillor Mbulawa said WUC attended the drain between Block 2 and Block 3 but after a few days it started spilling and he assured the residents that he would follow up the matter.

The principal district development officer, Mr Boyce Mangole explained that the district is currently addressing the backlog in the poverty eradication projects and beneficiaries such as Ms Kgalemang were among the ones that would be assisted.

For his part, Assistant Superintendent David Ramoseki appealed to parents to keep their children away from the streets. He observed that during school holidays children spent most of the time in the streets and some of them got involved in criminal activities. BOPA