22 May 2018

Some residents of Francistown have suggested that parents who withdraw defilement and sexual abuse cases should also be prosecuted.

Speaking during a kgotla meeting addressed by their Member of Parliament, Mr Buti Billy this week, residents said it was criminal to withdraw such cases, and that the law should be amended to criminalise such acts.

In his welcome remarks on behalf of the kgosi, Ward Development Committee chairperson, Mr Mpolokang Nkhwa alleged that a community leader and aspiring politician had sexually abused a girl child, but that no action was taken against him.  

He alleged that the man sexually abused a girl in the area, and that no action was taken despite the case being known in the area.

Mr Nkhwa said girl children were vulnerable and needed the protection of parents, including men who neglected their duties and sexually abused children.

On other issues, he thanked government for the Ipelegeng programme, saying it was the only source of employment in the area, particularly for the youth, and appealed for an increase in the Ipelegeng allowance to attract more young people who were dependent on their parents for a living.

The chairperson also informed the meeting that his committee had pushed a number of projects in the area through the P10 million constituency fund that included the paving of the main kgotla.

He also informed the meeting that the guest house project was moving smoothly because funds were available.

Mr Nkhwa said his committee had planned for a cultural village but that the identified plot was in a waterway area, which was expensive to rehabilitate hence the project was temporarily abandoned.

On the other hand, he decried lack of street lights, saying criminals take advantage of the cover of darkness to commit crimes.

He called on government to install flood lights near Area W Botswana Defence Force (BDF) camp where a lot of criminal activities happened.

Mr Nkhwa also requested for a shelter at the local clinic to protect patients from bad weather, adding that the area also needed a water drainage system.

In response, MP Billy said defilement cases, rape and sexual abuse were a concern to government, hence the amendment of the Penal Code on defilement to increase the age of minors from 16 years to 18 years.

He said Francistown continued to record the highest number of rape cases on a yearly basis, adding that rape cases dehumanise people and steal their dignity.

He said it was disheartening that some of the cases go unreported while some were withdrawn by victims or parents.

Mr Billy said in most cases, people who defiled minors were known to the victims’ parents, who never reported such cases to the police.

The MP also informed residents that the tourism sector in Francistown was doing well as evidenced by the issuing of 73 licenses that had created 756 jobs for locals and 10 for foreigners.

However, he raised concern that young Batswana who benefited from the Youth Development Fund (YDF) do not repay their loans.

He said some of them had diverted the money to other projects and purposes.

Mr Billy also said the poverty eradication programme was being misused by some beneficiaries, adding that some benefitted more than ones, something which he said was criminal.

He also briefed residents on some bills which were passed in the last parliamentary session that include the Matimela Act.

He revealed his intention to table a motion calling for students who have failed Standard Seven to repeat the grade, and requested for the support of his constituents. ENDS