25 Nov 2024

The Member of Parliament for Serowe South, Mr Leepetswe Lesedi says the State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) did not address some issues of national importance.

The MP said this recently when commenting on the SONA speech delivered by President Advocate Duma Boko.

Mr Lesedi said the SONA did not speak to issues of shortage of drugs and shortage of health specialists in public hospitals across the country.

He said public schools across the country were in a bad state and pupils were underperforming, while the same was the opposite in private schools.

The MP said there were issues of overcrowding in public schools which rendered the environment not conducive for learning, shortage of teachers’ accommodation across the country which forced some to commute long distances to work as well as water shortage water across the country.

Serowe South MP further said Batswana wanted answers and government position on programmes such as Chema Chema.

“Beneficiaries want to know if the programme is now a grant since that is what the ruling party said during the  campaign to be voted into power,” said MP Lesedi.

He therefore said the responsible ministers should update the public on government’s position on the programme and others.

Also, Mr Lesedi said the government should give the public feedback on its election promises such as increasing the old age pension, students’ allowance, reducing the old age pension age from 65 years to 60 among others.

On other issues, Mr Lesedi welcomed the announcement that the late Pitseng Gaoberekwe would be buried this year, almost three years after his death.

He said although the President’s decision went against the court decision, it was necessary to bring the matter to a closure.

It was also a historical trampling on human rights, for the dead to take such a long time to be buried, Mr Lesedi said and further stated that the President’s decision was in line with fulfilling the wishes of the deceased. ENDS