16 Oct 2022

Mmathethe/Molapowabojang  residents have submitted that their constituency should either be reduced in size or realigned into two smaller constituencies.

Speaking during a consultative kgotla meeting addressed by the Delimitation Commission in Mmathethe on Friday, they said their constituency was too big, something that affected service delivery.

Former MP, Mr Peter Siele, said the constituency covered a vast area from Gopong and Digawana near Lobatse all the way to Maokane, Lorolwane and Bogatakgomo areas closer to Jwaneng.

He said the constituency also contained many villages and settlements, which included Molapowabojang, Mmathethe, Mogojogojo, GaSegwagwa, GaMajaalela, Gathwane, Lejwana, Gasita, Metlobo, Tswaaneng, Kanngwe, Magweriapitse, Dipotsana, Diabo, Ditlojana, Molomakwane among others.

“It is a big constituency and am saying this from experience because I was an MP of this area in the past. It is difficult for the MP to visit all villages and settlements in the constituency to consult with the people,” said Mr Siele, who was expressing the collective views of Mmathethe residents.

Mr Siele further said there was no distinct social, cultural and economic interaction between villages on Maokane and Lorolwane side and those from Digawana and Gopong.

“The community in Lorolwane is not familiar with the communities in Gopong, Mogojogojo or GaMajaalela. They don’t know each other and have no interactions,” said the former MP.

He said the situation was made visible by the fact that Maokane councillor attended council meetings in Mabutsane in a different constituency.

He further said the combined population of villages and settlements in the constituency had grown.

Mr Siele, therefore, said Mmathethe residents preferred that the constituency be realigned into two constituencies of Ngwaketse East and Ngwaketse South.

However, Ms Lizzy Lekalabuswa, speaking on behalf of Metlobo, Tswaaneng and Kanngwe residents was of the view that the constituency should be reduced in size instead of being realigned into two.

Ms Lekalabuswa said the villages of Lorolwane, Maokane and Gasita, which were closer to Jwaneng, should be relocated to Jwaneng/ Mabutsane constituency.

Those views were shared by Ms Dinah Thetele, who was representing Digawana, Lorwana and Gopong.

She said the three villages of Lorolwane, Gasita, Maokane should be moved from the constituency and be replaced by Lotlhakane East and Mokgomane.

In his remarks, Mmathethe assistant chief representative, Mr Reuben Mosala said the village population had grown exponentially and therefore, asked that it should have two council wards.

Delimitation Commission chairperson, Justice Mokwadi Gabanagae, said statistics showed that Mmathethe/Molapowabojang population increased from 39 989 in 2011 to 43 855 in 2021.

Mr Gabanagae said the threshold for each constituency should be 38 682 people.

He said factors considered when realigning constituencies included population density, area, terrain and district boundaries, among other things.  ENDS