30 Oct 2013

Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi has informed his constituents that he was in the process of getting them medical insurance.

Addressing kgotla meetings in Ikageleng and Somerset East, Mr Mmolotsi said he was in the process of negotiating with medical aid schemes in the country to look at the feasibility of his plan.

He said should the negotiations bear fruit, residents would be expected to pay monthly subscriptions, just like in the constituency funeral scheme. The MP said once the negotiations were finalised and the medical aid in existence, residents would, in addition to free medical assistance from public facilities, have access to private medical services.

Mr Mmolotsi also informed residents that the constituency’s funeral scheme was doing well and that a number of residents had already benefited. On the just ended national voter registration, Mr Mmolotsi said one million voters were expected to register, but less than 500 000 registered. Concerning parliamentary issues, the MP said he would table a motion calling for the termination of nomination of councillors.

He said nominated councillors had become irrelevant because elected councillors were competent in a number of fields. He said nominated councillors added value to the council in the past because not many councillors were competent in many areas. In Somerset East, a resident, Ms Galenkgope Ludick said there was need to strengthen voter education.

Ms Ludick implored the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) not to wait until elections, but to continue with public education. She encouraged Batswana to register in continuous registration at all IEC offices.

Another resident of Somerset East, Mr Ophaketse Sebetela raised concern about the delay in the completion of the Francistown Stadium. Mr Sebetela concurred with the MP that nominated councillors were no longer relevant, but only added to the wage bill. He called for voter education in the school syllabi.

Meanwhile, Ms Koketso Masigo, who is one of the residents who will relocate to pave way for the construction of the Tonota/Francistown road, complained that the three months that they were given to relocate was too short.

She wondered whether it would be possible for them to build their new houses in a period of three months during the rainy season. In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Masego Masonya raised concern about alcohol abuse amongst the youth, noting that it contributed to traffic accidents and assault cases.

In response, the MP said although residents were given three months to relocate, their progress would be monitored and would be granted an extension if necessary. He said the problem of the stadium was the lights and that the stadium towers had the potential to obstruct flight routes.

The MP said there were now allegations of theft of goods and materials estimated at over P70 000 and that all these factors contributed to the delay in the completion of the stadium. BOKHUTLO