Serowe: If the kgotla meetings addressed by Serowe South MP, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, are anything to go by, then the residents of Dinokwane and Moumo wards in the constituency are not conversant with the current important national issues making news in the country.
Instead of dwelling on issues addressed by the area MP, the residents diverted their attention to local development matters and social ills affecting the constituency and Serowe at large.
Venson-Moitoi addressed the residents on privatization , intelligence and marital bills but the residents hardly touched on the subjects.
Residents congratulated the MP for pioneering the construction of a more conspicuous di-kgotla in the constituency and Serowe.
VensonÔÇôMoitoi recently contributed P100 to more than forty recognized di-kgotla in a bid to entice residents to enlarge the sum and build recognizable di-kgotla.
The Chairperson of Moumo VDC, Tshireletso Kooe, congratulated the MP for the envisaged construction of tarred roads in Serowe.
She, however, decried the dangers the students of Swaneng Hill School are exposed to as a result of the newly introduced school shifts. She said the students leave early before noon whilst others arrive home late in the evening, thus are prone to all sorts of social ills.
She called for additional senior secondary schools to appease the students who have to travel long distances.
The residents also congratulated VensonÔÇôMoitoi for Serowe electrification but Kgosi Goitseone Montsho noted that the poles are too near the road and thus dangerous to motorists. The residents lamented the shortage of water in Serowe.
Addressing the residents earlier, Venson-Moitoi told them that the intelligence bill was as good as the Good Samaritan. She said the bill was meant for those who dislike peace.
“If you are not troublesome, why should you worry?” she asked. “The law is meant for those who dislike peace.” The country, she said, is the envy of many and, as such, is likely to attract enemies who would want to destabilize it.
On the issue of privatization, Venson-Motoi said the government’s aim was to outsource work by allocating some duties to individuals.
She cited the security guards and cleaners whom she said are now employed by Batswana-owned private companies to assist the government.
On the privatization of Air Botswana and BTC, Venson-Moitoi, who is the minister under whom the BTC falls, told the residents that Air Botswana discussions were still going on and that the Minister of Transport, Lesego Motsumi, was still discussing with the prospective buyer and that the discussions would be presented to parliament.
On the BTC, she urged the residents to save money so as to buy the shares when the privatization of the BTC commences.
Briefing the residents on marital rape, minister Venson-Moitoi said the Botswana law that says that there is no rape in marriage was outdated.
Imagine, she said, a husband who deserted a family for years coming back suddenly and be permitted everything by the wife, or vice versa, only by virtue of marriage. The world of taday has changed altogether, she said, and there are deadly diseases like Aids ravaging the world.
