26 Nov 2020

 It is in the interest of the Administration of Justice to ensure that every Motswana receives a fair trial as illustrated by commitment from the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security to improve service delivery.

Expressing his thoughts on the State of the Nation Address, Gabane/Mmankgodi MP, Mr Kagiso Mmusi thus said efforts were ongoing to amend the Legal Practitioners Act to make the legal profession more responsive to the needs of the public.

Mr Mmusi, who is also the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, also cited the proposed establishment of commercial courts in Gaborone and Francistown and the jurisdiction of small claims court, which was previously limited to P10 000, but increased to P30 000 as the ministry’s commitment to improving service delivery.

He said this was all part of the efforts to strengthen and reform the Administration of Justice to enhance access to justice and the rule of law to all citizens.

He stated that the Private Security Act of 2016, which was established to, among others, regulate the issuance of licences to private security services and served as a code of conduct for the private security service industry was also proving to yield positive results.

On issues of defence and security, Mr Mmusi said government had adopted the use of phase one Closed Circuit Television surveillance in Gaborone, which continues to show improvement in crime prevention and detection. He said the system would soon be rolled out to Francistown.

He further applauded the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) for continually playing an important role in maintaining the country’s security and further complimented them for playing a part in curbing the spread of COVID-19.

“Apart from being deployed at checkpoints during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the BDF is in the process of building a makeshift hospital with a fully-fledged intensive care unit at the Sir Seretse Khama barracks to relieve the country’s health system during the pandemic,” he said.

Minister Mmusi fully condemned the growing incidents of gender-based violence (GBV). 

Thus, he said government was also committed to incorporate the principle of gender equality in the legal system by abolishing all discriminatory laws against gender. He said this would enhance the country’s adherence to international standards related to gender equality.

 The drafting of the Sexual Offenders Bill, he said, provided for, among others, stiffer penalties against offenders while the Sex Offenders’ Registry, once in use, would record and publicise names and particulars of all persons convicted of sexual offences.

This, he noted, would hopefully contribute towards reducing cases related to GBV and in the process promote the safety and security of women and children who, according to statistics, were the most affected by GBV.

Mr Mmusi commended government for the construction of Gabane internal roads. 

He, however, questioned the quality of the roads and advised that more inspections be done before the handover.

He also called for the upgrading and extension of Gabane and Mmankgodi clinics, saying the two clinics were understaffed and could no longer accommodate the populace. 

Mr Mmusi pleaded with Botswana National Youth Council to permit the use of  Mmankgodi farm as it was fully equipped to uplift lives in his constituents. ENDS