30 Mar 2015

Kweneng District Council wrapped its business on March 27 after debating 25 motions, with only three being adopted, 11 withdrawn, five deferred to relevant committees while two were defeated through a vote.


Two of the three adopted motions were from the specially elected councillor, Mr Motlhophi Leo while the third one was tabled by Thamaga North councillor Palelo Motaosane.

Mr Leo had tabled a motion requesting the Ministry for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration to amend the Electoral Act such that registration of voters could be carried out at voters’ residential areas, arrangement similar to that of the population and housing census exercise.

He said when tabling the motion that this would be aimed at curbing trafficking of voters. Those against the motion among them Leologa councillor, Mookami Mantimane, said the motion would not make people vote for individuals they were not interested in. 


The general feeling of those against the motion was that the anticipated change would not change people’s thoughts about the way they felt about particular candidates in their respective areas, therefore it was important to maintain the status core as individuals would still choose to register in areas of their chose.


Another motion tabled by Mr Leo requested the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to review the National Destitute Persons clause 6.1.2 (a) (ii) that required increase in the monthly allowances not to be less than P500.


Cllr Motaosane’s motion that requested the Ministry for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration to consider political funding during election was regarded as a welcomed development. He emphasised the fact that allowing political parties to secure own funding might be dangerous and could lead to money laundering.


Cllr Motaosane’s four other motions were deferred including the one that called for a holistic constitutional amendment to seek clarity on whether the council has the jurisdiction to table a motion that may speak about constitutional amendment.


The motion that led to rising of temper by the mover cllr Motaosane was the one that called for the LGRD ministry to consider creating a post of the Deputy District Commissioner to serve at the Thamaga Service Centre.


Mr Motaosane expressed disappointment at the way central government departments were reluctant to decentralize services arguing that the officer who was based at Thamaga was moved to Mogoditshane increasing the number to four leaving Thamaga in the lurch. He said despite efforts to establish service centers in some areas of Kweneng, nothing was being done to make them operational.


Cllr Motaosane’s sentiment was shared by Cllr Leo who emphasised that people were made to travel long distances for services despite the fact that initiatives were made to bring services closer to their areas. 


Meanwhile the Kweneng District Commissioner Ms Utlwanang Kerekang told the council that the current zero growth in the public service had impacted negatively in service provision and assured the council that her office would seriously look into the matter and devise better strategies on how the matter could best be resolved. ENDS