Councillors vow to incite residents to break law

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Tuesday March 27, 2012 00:00

At a recent special full council meeting, the councillors wondered why the law is only perculiar to the town's businesses.The meeting came about after the said councillors wrote a letter to the mayor and council management expressing concern over media reports that the town clerk, Mompati Seleka, was allegedly against the motion. The civic leaders called for Seleka to be sacked saying they have no confidence in him.

The opposition chief whip, councillor Molefhe Molatlhegi told the house they were shocked to hear the town clerk on public radio saying that the motion would not be implemented. 'We believe that we do not have a town clerk.Only the minister has the right to change our resolutions not the town clerk. We have lost hope in him,' he said.

SPTC councillors last month adopted a motion that sought to 'deliberately and purposefully allow the braaing of meat as is the case in other areas and in aid of citizen economic empowerment as well as in recognition of the informal sector'. 'It should be explained to us how Phikwe laws differ from those in other areas,' said councillor Molatlhegi. Councillor Kosy Mashaba, who was one of the authors of the letter, argued that the town clerk bypassed them as stakeholders and chose to announce publicly that their 'braaing resolution' would not be implemented.

However councillor Tebogo Matlhogonolo argued that he had hoped that the concerned councillors were bringing forward a new legal dimension which empowers residents to continue 'braaing' food in open spaces.'We are a responsible council therefore you should have approached the town clerk over your concern rather than convening a special meeting,' he said. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party chief whip, councillor Tshiamo Ikaneng said the issue could have been handled through consultation. For his part, Seleka explained that he only said that the law, unless it is reviewed, prohibits grilling meat in bars and at butcheries. He said that he also explained during the radio interview that grilling food is only allowed in areas like restaurants.

'I was merely interpreting the law as it is my role,' he said, and the motion of no confidence in the town clerk was then thrown out.Molatlhegi told Mmegi that although they have withdrawn the motion of no confidence in the town mayor, they still stand by the motion they have passed. He maintained that as much as government wants to enforce the regulation, it should also declare the informal sector around the mall illegal because the situation is the same.