17 Nov 2020

Selebi Phikwe East MP, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana has urged government to invest in the industrial development effort of the Selebi Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) to ensure sustainable economic life of the area.

In his contribution to the State-of-the-Nation Address on Monday, Mr Nkawana said the entire economic outlook of Selebi Phikwe had been severely affected since the closure of the BCL mine a few years ago.

He thus called upon the government to accelerate efforts for the re-opening of the mine, even under new ownership.
Mr Nkawana said apart from employing many people the copper-nickel mine kept other businesses in the town active and its reopening could revive the economic life of the town.

He said the closure of the post office in Botshabelo denied the community a valuable service and he thus called for its reopening.

Adding his worth to the ongoing response on the SONA, Jwaneng-Mabutsane legislator, Mr Mephato Reatile lauded efforts by the Jwaneng umbrella village development committee (VDC) for undertaking community initiatives such as a recent donation to local schools.

Mr Reatile said the government ensure the independence of oversight institutions such as the Directorate on Economic Crime and Corruption (DCEC), Ombudsman, Auditor General and Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

Such institutions, he said should be well capacitated to carry out investigations and carry out performance and forensic audits on companies engaged on government projects.

Noting that perhaps the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DIS) could be kept under the ambit of the Office of the President because of the sensitive nature of its function, Mr Reatile said other institutions needed to be granted autonomy for better execution of duty.

He cited the example of principal investigative officers at the DCEC being transferred when they were still handling some important cases, and Mr Reatile said this caused complications and lead to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) being incapacitated in fulfilling their prosecution function.

Mr Reatile said in a democracy, separation of powers between the executive, judiciary and legislature was important, adding that the rule of law needed to be respected and jealously guarded by all for the democratic spirit of the constitution to prevail.  ENDS