26 Aug 2019

Kasane residents have been implored to collect their Identity cards from national registration offices in preparation for the general elections.

Addressing a Kgotla meeting in Kasane recently, the Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs Mr Ngaka Ngaka said a total of 70 cards remained uncollected cards at the Kasane office.

They comprise 38 renewals, 19 duplicates and 13 for first applicants, he said.

Mr Ngaka implored the literate to check the validity of their elderly relatives’ identity cards in order to avoid disappointments at the eleventh hour.

He said a valid ID card was not only important for the general elections but was a requirement for accessing government programmes.

He said it was frustrating that some citizens were disqualified from benefitting from government programmes because of expired cards.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Kasane court president Kgosi Thuso Wasetso said Gender Based Violence (GBV) was a burning issue in the area.

Kgosi Wasetso said dikgotla and police stations continued to receive reports of GBV but unfortunately some victims withdrew cases because the perpetrators were breadwinners.

He said withdrawal of cases encouraged perpetrators to continue with their wayward behaviour. Kgosi Wasetso called for public education, especially for women, on the consequences of withdrawing and concealing GBV.

VDC deputy chairperson Ms Gladys Motho complained about the harbouring of illegal immigrants by some locals as well as foreigners who engaged in businesses reserved for Batswana.

As an example, Ms Motho said some people crossed into Botswana to sell fish.

She observed that while it was now permissible for people to take passport photos with headgear on, immigration officers still insisted that they be removed not considering religion.

Mr Machana Marumo suggested that since prostitution could not be stopped, it should be legalised so it could be regulated.

Ms Mpho Aron noted that as long as the Department of Labour remained unfair in placing people who queued for placement, prostitution would continue.

In response, the minister explained that passport did not have any provision allowing people to engage in any form of trade in Botswana saying work permits were only processed by the Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development.

He encouraged residents to report any foreign nationals who traded or worked in Botswana without permits.

On prostitution, Mr Ngaka said it could not be legalised without consulting stakeholders such as faith based organisations and others.

Mr Ngaka said even if the Department of Labour was unfair in placing job seekers, people should not resort to illegal activities such as prostitution. Giving a vote thanks, KasaneCentral councillor, Mr Shababa Munihango called for intensified public education on the process of renouncing citizenship.

He suggested that people should be charged P1000 only for lost passports instead of for smudges which were often the result of carelessness on the part of some immigration officers when stamping passports. Ends