When commenting on the prevalence of cohabitation at the Francistown City Council meeting, the councillor said that Batswana are easily tricked because they got their independence without a fight.
“All people from countries that have fought for independence would not just trust anyone. As for us, we easily fall for anything. That is why an intelligent person, even councillors can be tricked. Some have been made to buy cars that they never saw, right here in the council,” he said.
The Boikhutso ward councillor said that the government should identify the cause of cohabitation.
“Poverty is the root cause of the problem and for as long as we fail to address it, the problem shall persist. Most of the young girls who have cohabited do not necessarily like it. They are forced to do that because of societal needs.”
Speaking at the FCC meeting, Tatitown Customary Court president, Margaret Ludo Mosojane called on councillors to sensitise their communities on the dangers of cohabitation.
She said it is often difficult for her to handle cases of cohabitation as there is no law that protects unmarried lovers staying together.
“Parents too, should be firm and tell children that they do not condone such behaviour. If parents do that, then many people would desist from such practices.” Mosojane said another challenge they face are cases of informal sector business transactions.
“Our brothers and sisters who venture into selling clothes and other products in the informal sector are often cheated as people refuse to pay them. This is perpetuated by the fact that they operate on credit most of the time.”
She called on councillors to encourage traders to have invoices so that they can produce them as evidence during trials. Another problem that they face is that of private money lending.
“Some people would just lend money without any witness and when people fail to pay them back, that is when they come up in the open.”
Councillor Wilfred Masima shared the same sentiments as Mosojane. He said that young men have a tendency of investing all they have on their girlfriends and when the relationship turns sour, they kill their partners. He said that the practice of cohabitation is a disgrace.
“In the past we had a song that said ‘monna ga a latelwe (one should not hand herself for marriage)’. In our culture, a woman should be taken by her parents to the in-laws.”
