11 Dec 2019

Gaborone South MP Mr Dumezweni Mthimkhulu has called for regulation of house rentals to curb the exorbitant fees charged by the landlords not only in Gaborone but across the country.

Contributing to the State-of-the-Nation Address on December 10 the legislator, who is also Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public administration, observed that landlords had a tendency to increase the rentals without consideration of the tenant’s welfare nor the habitable state of the house.

He said the provision of housing in Gaborone South, therefore, remained a challenge which could only be resolved by revamping government policy and legislation on housing.

Mr Mthimkhulu said the exorbitant rentals, often resulted in young people who relocated to the city hoping to find employment engaging in crime and other bad practices such as prostitution so as to keep up with the rentals.

“The Rent Control Tribunal in its current form does not adequately address the problems faced by tenants. It needs, as a matter of urgency to be reconstituted and capacitated to fully discharge its mandate,” he said. 

He further noted that the scope of the Rent Control Tribunal mandate needed to be broadened to cover all properties and not just a select classification of properties.

Mr Mthimkhulu also advocated for the amendment of the Botswana Housing Corporation Act for it to encompass the improved supply of housing and protection of tenants.

Apart from the BHC Act review, Mr Mthimkhulu said another option would be to free up markets by tendering of serviced and demarcated land to developers who would compete on basis of the cost of construction and not the cost of land provision.

He further called on government to facilitate the participation of brick moulders by Gaborone Dam in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

He noted that the pallet furniture manufacturers along the roadsides in Old Naledi could benefit immensely from concerted efforts of investors and consumers. 

Mr Mthimkhulu also raised a concern about the lack of sports and recreational facilities in his constituency. 

He said lack of such facilities stifled talent, citing the renowned Mafitlhakgosi dance troupe which he said does not have rehearsal facilities. 

He thus appealed for the establishment of a National Arts Council and construction of a national arts theatre in Old Naledi.

Furthermore, Mr Mthimkhulu cautioned that education must not be aimed to produce the best English speaking students but rather to graduate market-ready leaners who would impact on communities with innovations and solutions.

He said government must be commended for having introduced the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) Programmes at secondary schools as it would allow students to pursue subjects of their interest and capabilities. 

He said government also continued to implement some critical reform programmes under the Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP) aimed at enhancing access and quality education in line with the local and global demands.

In her contribution to the debate, Lentsweletau/Mmopane legislator, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja applauded government’s efforts of a comprehensive review of the Constitution of Botswana.

She said there were a number of legislative pieces that remained incongruent with the main legislative framework and some global trends. While acknowledging efforts geared towards apprising certain acts and law, Ms Makwinja said there were some pieces of legislation that may totally be excluded. 

Ms Makwinja further commended President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi for nominating four women as specially nominated Members of Parliament, increasing the number of female representatives in the 12th Parliament to seven.

She also condemned the rising cases of Gender-Based Violence, saying violence must never be condoned.

“Although the government has taken measures to develop laws, policies and programmes to respond to GBV, it remains one of the most prevalent human-rights violations in the country as women and girls continue to experience domestic violence, brutal murder, rape and unwanted sexual remarks, ridicule, harassment, and assault in public,” she said. ends