12 Apr 2017

Electronic Voting Machine with a paper trail would be a welcome enhancement to the amended Electoral Act.

Member of Parliament for Thamaga/Kumakwane constituency, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo said this addressing a kgotla meeting in Kumakwane on April 11.

He said such development would be beneficial to all and added that government had noted a call for a paper trail.

However, Mr Mabeo, who is also Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, said the change would come with costs implications projected to be  between P60 million and P70 million.

However, it is only after the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has wrapped up its nationwide tours that government will make a determination.

“Your government listens, we have noted that there are those with dissenting voices,” said Mr Mabeo, who was touring his constituency.

He praised the Electronic Voting Machine, saying it would do away with spoiled ballots as well as shorten the period taken to announce the election results.

In addition, he told his constituents that there were consultations with political parties and other stakeholders before coming up with the amendments.

On other issues, Mr Mabeo told his constituents that agriculture remained one of the backbones of the country’s economy.

He said the sector could help to reduce unemployment rate as well as feed the country and lower high import bill.

Therefore, he said government was committed to supporting agricultural sector as it had the potential to grow the country’s economy.

He commended Kumakwane Village Development Committee (VDC) for their contribution to the development of the village.

Mr Mabeo said it was unheard of to have a village development committee with over P150 000 in its account.

For his part, Kgosi Chomie Seboni of Kumakwane pleaded with their MP to invite government ministers to their village, saying his subjects lacked knowledge on some ministries.

Kgosi Seboni commended government for programmes such as Ipelegeng and ISPAAD, saying they were beneficial in uplifting the community’s livelihood.

In their comments, residents pleaded for developments such as internal roads while others decried lack of consultation during the amending of the Electoral Act. ENDS