He added that the amendment seeks to protect women who are in bad marriages where ‘irresponsible husbands’ do as they please with family property. His plea came after intense interrogation by members of the House of Chiefs who wanted him to explain if the law was not going to affect the people who are led by the very chiefs he had ignored. The chiefs argued that they are entitled to making an input in all matters affecting the nation.
After realising the seriousness of the issue, Mfa called for the intervention of officials from the Attorney General’s Chambers. But an attempt by one of the officials to provide an explanation was cut short by Kgosi Seepapitso. He stood up saying the AGs seems to be applying two different sets of laws. “In the past, we were told that a law cannot affect events happening before it came into being but you are saying something contrary to that”. He wanted to know why there are two different views from the same office on one subject and who should be believed. He questioned why the new marriage law was going to affect people who got married before it was enacted. He almost described the AG’s official as incompetent. Still on marriage, Kgosi Letlamoreng of Borolong wanted to know what is going to happen to a couple married and awarded a certificate by a church minister but opted for community of property marriage.
The debate was initiated by Kgosi Christopher Masunga of North East who had wanted the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs to explain why the Abolition of Marital Power Amendment Bill was never brought before the House Of Chiefs for their input as it is the usual practice with all matters that affect the nation. He also wanted the minister to explain in chronological order the process of marriage.
On other issues, the youthful Letlamoreng took Seepapitso to task on corporal punishment. Contrary to what Seepapitso said, he insisted that corporal punishment should be carried out on women. He said that women of today are different from those of the past as they are engaged in many kinds of crime and no longer respect themselves. Seepapitso had earlier on said that people calling for the caning of women should desist from it because it is contrary to tradition.
