Cllrs fume over �Ipelegeng via e-Wallet�
Tumelo Mouwane | Thursday June 29, 2017 16:20
E-wallet is a service offered by a local commercial bank where payments and passwords are sent electronically to recipients without the need for the receiver to have a bank account.
A heated argument on the issue erupted during a full council seating recently, with councillors across the floor saying the move was ill-informed and driven by a lack of consultation.
Tsopeng North ward councillor, Gofaone Kedise said the method of payment should be stopped immediately as Ipelegeng beneficiaries had not been consulted.
“The council has taken a very wayward move by removing the payment process from the post office which has been all along doing very well to provide this service at a very low cost. People were not consulted and we don’t want the council to say it has consulted the people. We live with these people and we know the truth,” the councillor said.
He added: “This idea is bad. You can’t tell an illiterate person to use e-Wallet when they can’t even read.
“They don’t even have cellphones. Where will they get them? Furthermore, this e-wallet idea will open a gap for people to exploit the beneficiaries. This must be stopped immediately”.
Newlook-Maipeing ward councillor, Mosiamanekgotla Botanka echoed Kedise’s sentiments, saying Ipelegeng workers had been threatened with non-payment if they did not register under the e-wallet method.
“The officials did not adequately consult the people and instead intimidated them to register, in order to avoid non-payment.
“Where will the coins go because ATM’s only disburse notes but an Ipelegeng salary has some coins,” Botanka said.
The council’s chief finance and development planning officer, Billyboy Siabatho said Ward Development Committee (WDCs) had been consulted and some workers under the programme had already been paid.
“We adequately consulted with the WDCs and they appreciated the idea,” he said.
“Some members have been already paid and they have not raised any concerns thus far.
“People should take into consideration that the post office service fees were running quite high and we don’t have money for that.”
Town Mayor Malebogo Kruger promised to review the issue urgently.
“We will look into the matter thoroughly and see whether we can locate and seal loopholes or even consider other alternatives,” Kruger said.
Meanwhile, seven alleged human trafficking victims who escaped from a shelter in Lobatse last year are yet to be located.
District No. 4 Officer Commanding, Alakanani Makobo told councillors in the same meeting that the police were not sure whether the victims were still in the country or not. He said authorities in Malawi, where the victims are from, said they were yet to arrive on home soil.
“We are working closely with Interpol to locate them,” he said.
Four Malawian men were arrested last year in connection with the incident and the case is still pending before the courts.