31 May 2022

Botswana should legalise sex work to allow those who earn a living through it to do so with the protection of the law.

Making submissions before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution on Tuesday, Mr Bob Mabego of Motopi said it was time the country acknowledged that sex work was currently being practised within its shores.

Thus, he pointed out that it was paramount that those who engaged in it did so lawfully; noting that it would be empowering for them to earn a living within the parameters of the law.

“Go nale bomme ba gotweng ba a ithekisa; batho ba le bantsi kgang eo ga ba dumalane le yone. Ga ke itse lebaka la teng ebile ga ke le bone.

Ga ke le farologanye le yo o ithekisang a le mo ntlong ya gagwe,” he said, and indicated that sex work was being practised by some though in subtle ways.

“Bomme ba ba ba ithekisang a ba tswelele ba ithekise; ga ba ithekise ba dira tshwanelo ya bone,” he added.

Mr Mabego on the one hand implored the nation to shun the idea of same-sex marriages.

He said it was wrong to pour scorn upon sex work and then allow a practice that was not only unnatural but one that also went against the order of nature.

Ms Masego Gowe described same-sex marriage as a threat to mankind’s continued existence and that if allowed to find a place in society, the country’s population would dwindle over the course of time.

That, she explained would put a country with a population as small as Botswana’s at risk of being wiped out of the face of the earth.

“Ke utlwa kgang e e reng gatwe monna o tshwanetse go nyala monna ka ene nna ke le teng.

Re gana molao oo, ka gore golo moo ke go bolaa setshaba ka gore monna le monna ga ba ka ke ba tla ka ngwana,” she observed.

Another resident, Mr Sam Digwa appealed to the nation to jealousy guard the peace that Botswana had become synonymous with.

He argued that Botswana’ state of peace was gradually losing its spark due to such ills as vote rigging taking hold over the country, a status quo that he said was likely to plunge the country into chaos if left to persist unchecked.

The residents further asked for the law to make provision for areas endowed with natural resources to benefit from them.

While Mr Oscar White suggested that residents in wildlife-rich areas be allowed a certain number of animals for their collective benefit in a set period of time, Mr Timothy Maoto urged Botswana to not bow to international pressure groups but rather that the country should explore ways through which communities could directly benefit from the wildlife.

Mr Kgomotso Matsiara shared similar sentiments, alleging that as things presently stood, foreign nationals were better placed to enjoy Botswana’s wildlife, while locals could only watch.

“Diphologolo di akolwa ke batho ba ba itsholetseng ba ba nang le dipolase ka gore phologolo fa e le moo ke ya gagwe, o e dirisa jaaka a rata.

Mme rona fa e sale go emisiwa molao wa gore re ka ikopela diphologolo, bangwe re nale dingwaga-ngwaga re sa itse go ja nama ya phologolo,” he stated, and said in addition to the wildlife being enjoyed by foreigners, the handful of well-off citizens who owned ranches formed the other pocket of individuals who benefited from Botswana’s wildlife. ENDS