27 Jan 2020

Residents of Ipopeng ward in the Francistown South constituency have expressed concerns about illicit behaviour among young people. 

This, they noted, was exacerbated by excessive alcohol consumption.

Speaking during a kgotla meeting addressed by area Member of Parliament, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi recently, Ward Development Committee chairperson, Ms Kedibonye Lekang said excessive use of alcohol sometimes led to deaths and health problems.

She said such behaviour manifested itself in the form of lack of respect for elders while some went to work drunk.

Ms Lekang also complained about noise pollution coming from shebeens, adding that it disturbed peace and interfered with children’s learning.

Furthermore, she said inadequate knowledge on the rights of patients and people living with disabilities made the work of committee members difficult. 

She also explained that lack of unemployment especially for the youth was worrisome and asked that brigades should increase their enrollment to prevent youth from idling.

On other issues, Ms Lekang pleaded with the area MP for the increase of Ipelegeng workers and for the youth to be helped with economic empowerment programmes. 

She said the committee had made some achievements as they managed to install two tower lights in Block 7 and 8, two water drainage systems at Block 8, one which  under construction by Ipelegeng workers. 

One of the residents, Mr Modisane Ntekolang, complained about too much drain leakages in their ward since the Water Utilities Corporation staff took time to resolve the situation.

Other residents wanted to know the criteria that the council used to assess those in need and how long this process could take. 

They also decried increasing crime levels in their ward noting that since the start of the year, seven Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) houses had been broken into.

For his part, MP Mmolotsi informed residents that the performance of the education sector was worrisome. 

However, he explained that plans were underway to bring about improvements. 

“Outcomes-based systems will be put into place where students will be awarded subjects based on their interests and capabilities,” he said.

Mr Mmolotsi said government was in the process of introducing a new language policy to encourage the use of mother tongue.

He further said the Marriage Act was going to be revised so that it did not contradict the Children’s Act. 

He explained that traditional and religious marriages were also going to be registered legally.

MP Mmolotsi said experts had suggested that 60 per cent of youth were using drugs excessively and this had the potential to result in mental disorders. 

Therefore, he informed them that government was in the process of establishing a rehabilitation centre in Serowe, which would help ease the situation. Ends