27 Sep 2018

Some Ngamiland councillors have pleaded with the office of the District Commissioner (DC) and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to consider making special arrangements to ensure safari workers in the Okavango Delta register for elections.

Some workers had revealed that their employers refused to release them to go and register to vote, while some were told to go at their own expense, thus denying them the opportunity to participate in the national call.

Councillors pleaded with the said offices when commenting on the chairman’s speech, which indicated that the registration exercise was going well in the district.

They also decried delays in issuing identity cards to some members of the community and requested the relevant office to speed up the process.

Councillor Luke Motlaleselelo of Bojanala ward said what transpired at the safari camps was unfortunate and requested the office of the DC and IEC to intervene.

He said safari workers, just like any other Motswana, were entitled to exercise their democratic right during registration and general elections, but they were being denied the chance to do so.

Mr Motlaleselelo explained that they had been told that employers said if they release and arranged flights for their workers, they would deduct the money from their salaries.

He said that did not go down well with the workers, who said they could not afford transport because they were earning little, leading to them opting to stay.

He said it was unfortunate that there was no policy that binds the safari employers to release employees to participate in the national exercise and pleaded with the DC to at least write a formal letter to the employers requesting them to release and assist their workers with transport to go to their respective areas to register.

Cllr Kebareeditse Ntsogotlho of Khwai/Mababe concurred with him and urged IEC, through assistance of the DC, to talk to safari owners to release employees at their own costs.

In his speech, the council chairperson, Mr Duncan Enga explained that national registration, which commenced on September 3, was going well as all the polling stations were active and the supervisors were busy rounding up the clerks to give support where necessary.

He encouraged the communities to register to vote during the exercise, which will end on November 11 and vote in the coming 2019 general elections.

He reported that initially, the IEC office encountered a few challenges as some registration clerks turned down their offers, but it managed to fill the posts eventually. ENDS