120 people from South Africa evade quarantine
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WeekendPost can confidently reveal that on Thursday at least 120 people from neighbouring South Africa entered the country without going through the 14 day mandatory quarantine process after the authorities failed to make necessary arrangements.
Several sources confirmed that the 120 people who entered the country through the Ramatlabama border post this week (Thursday), were let loose after spending at least 12 hours at the border, being sent from pillar to post. A highly placed source at Goodhope sub- district who spoke on condition of anonymity said he was against the idea of releasing the travellers but an instruction from COVID- 19 district coordinator based in Lobatse who is in touch with the Head Office in Gaborone prevailed.
“I can confirm that, it is true they were released at around 2000hrs after spending close to 12 hours here. Throughout the day we made sure we adhere to the standard practice of social distancing and others,” said the source, The impeccable source said the travellers crossed in the morning but as stipulated by the government they were supposed to go through the 14 day mandatory quarantine.
However, as they were awaiting logistics, a phone call from Coordinator- District Health Management in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr Boipelo Lecoge in Lobatse told them that there was not enough accommodation and travellers can be released to go on self-isolation. This is because they are working in collaboration with the District Health Management Team (DHMT). The team at the border who were very sceptical about the decision kept the travellers as there was no formal write up and they wanted to confirm with the parent Ministry in Gaborone.
Around 1500hrs, another call from a certain Dr Jonas based at Goodhope hospital confirmed that indeed the decision to release the travellers was reversed. At the time, transport issues had been sorted and two buses, a BX bearing registration numbers and Botswana Defence Force (BDF) bus were boarding and ready to depart the border. A last call from Dr Lecoge few minutes later ensued, directing that travellers be released with immediate effect and left to go home, a decision which was again reversed a few minutes later but everyone had left.
“At the moment, we are still awaiting a report from the DHMT on recalling the victims because we have all their names and contacts. Some of them have been called already to report back to the quarantine centre in Lobatse. It was disheartening, there was nothing we could do,” said the source. A victim who was part of the travellers and spoke to WeekendPost on anonymity said he is based in South Africa and a few days ago, his boss in South Africa tested positive for the pandemic COVID-19.
“At the moment I am home here in Ramotswa and I have not received a call to report to the quarantine yet. Ever since I arrived yesterday, I have tried self-isolation but it is difficult since I have had contact with some few family members already,” said the source. At the moment South Africa has announced its first two deaths from Coronavirus infection, with the cases having now passed the 1,000 mark. "This morning, we South Africans wake up with sad news that we now have our first deaths resulting from COVID-19," the health ministry said on Friday.
Both deaths took place in hospitals in the southern province of Western Cape. Reached for comment, Officer Commanding at Ramatlabama Police, Molapisi said he cannot confirm nor deny the incident but said he cannot comment on the matter since the coordinators are with the District Commissioner’s office. However, the District Commissioner at Kanye, Mmoloki Raletobana’s phones rang answered the whole afternoon. Dr Jonas who is based at Goodhope Primary Hospital said he is not at liberty to discuss anything with members of the media or any third party.
“I report to my bosses in the Ministry of Health if there is anything, this is the standard procedure. So I am sorry I cannot assist”, he said. Dr Jonas also took time to dismiss the matter, saying everything is news to him before hanging up. Reached for comment, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Lemogang Kwape on Friday afternoon said he is not aware of the incident. “I was not briefed, I promise to investigate the matter and revert back to you,” he said.
On the 24th March 2020 the government of Botswana announced that there will be mandatory quarantine for travellers. To further strengthen the COVID- 19 prevention measures, all people coming from the Republic of South Africa through the Martins Drift, Ramatlabama, Pioneer Gate, Tlokweng borders and Sir Seretse Khama International Airport will be placed under mandatory quarantine for 14 days at facilities that have been identified. This decision was taken in the view that Botswana is affected by COVID- 19 and has sustained local transmission.
The objective of this mandatory quarantine according to health authorities is to minimize the introduction, transmission and the spread of COVID- 19 in Botswana. Currently only Batswana and Botswana residents will be allowed into the country. Anyone refusing mandatory quarantine will be liable a fine not exceeding P5 000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or, to both.
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The curtain came down at the PAP session with pomp and FUNFAIR
It was pomp and funfair at the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) on March 18 as the African Cultural Music and Dance Association (ACUMDA) brought the curtains down on the PAP session with a musical performance.
The occasion was the celebration of the Pan-African Parliament Day (PAP Day) which commemorated the inauguration of the first Parliament of the PAP on 18 March 2004 at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The celebrations took place at the seat of the Parliament in Midrand to “reflect on the journey” as the institution turns 19. The event sought to retrace the origin and context of the establishment of the PAP.
The celebrations included musical performances by ACUMDA and a presentation by Prof. Motshekga Mathole of the Kara Heritage Institute on “Whither Pan-Africanism, African Culture, and Heritage.”
The PAP Day was officially launched in 2021 to educate citizens about the Continental Parliament and ignite conversations about its future in line with its mandate.
The establishment of the PAP among the AU organs signalled a historical milestone and the most important development in the strengthening of the AU institutional architecture. It laid solid groundwork for democratic governance and oversight within the African Union system and provided a formal “platform for the peoples of Africa to get involved in discussions and decision-making on issues affecting the continent.”
The genesis of the PAP can be legally traced back to 1991 with the adoption of the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community, adopted on June 3, 1991, in Abuja (also known as the Abuja Treaty). This treaty defined the pillars and grounds for realizing economic development and integration in Africa and called for the creation of a continental parliament, among a set of other organs, as tools for the realization of African integration and economic development. This call was reemphasized in the Sirte Declaration of 1999, which called for the accelerated implementation of the provisions of the Abuja Treaty.
PAP celebrated its ten years of existence in March 2014, a year which coincided with the adoption, on June 27, 2014, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, of the Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union relating to the Pan-African Parliament (PAP Malabo Protocol), which, once in force, will transform the PAP into a legislative body of the AU. It requires a minimum of 28 countries to ratify it before it comes into force.
Therefore, the commemoration of PAP Day serves as a reminder to the decision-makers around the continent to fulfil their commitment to the PAP by ratifying its Protocol, 19 years after sanctioning its establishment. 14 AU member states have so far ratified the Malabo Protocol.
The celebrations of PAP Day coincided with the closing ceremony of the sitting of the PAP Permanent Committees and other organs. The Sitting took place in Midrand, South Africa under the AU theme for 2023, “Accelerating the implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)” from 6 to 17 March 2023.
PAP President, H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, expressed appreciation to members for their commitment during the two-week engagement.
“We have come to the end of our program, and it is appropriate that we end on a high note with the PAP Day celebrations.
“We will, upon your return to your respective countries, ensure that the work achieved over the past two weeks is transmitted to the national level for the benefit of our citizens,” concluded H.E. Chief Charumbira.
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PAP needs to priorities land issues-Prof Mathole
Prof Motshekga Mathole of the Kara Heritage Institute has advised the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to prioritise the land issue in the continent if they are to remain relevant.
He said this while addressing the Plenary during the commemoration of PAP Day held at the PAP Chambers in Midrand, South Africa
The PAP Day was officially launched in 2021 to commemorate the inauguration of the first Parliament on 18 March 2004 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Intended as a platform for people of all African states to be involved in discussions and decision-making on problems and challenges facing the continent.
In a speech titled “Whither Pan-Africanism, African Culture, and Heritage,” Prof Mathole stated that for PAP to remain relevant, it must address the continent’s key land dilemma, which he feels is the core cause of all problems plaguing the continent
“If this Parliament is to be taken seriously, ownership of land and natural resources must be prioritized at the national and continental levels. Africans are not poor; they are impoverished by imperialist nations that continue to hold African land and natural resources,” said Prof Mathole.
“When African leaders took power from colonialists, they had to cope with poverty, unemployment, and other issues, but they ignored land issues. That is why Africa as a whole is poor today. Because our land and minerals are still in the hands of colonizers, Africa must rely on Ukraine for food and Europe for medical.”
Prof Mathole believes that the organization of the masses is critical as cultural revolution is the only solution to Africa’s most problems.
“We need a cultural revolution for Africa, and that revolution can only occur if the masses and people are organized. First, we need a council of African monarchs since they are the keepers of African arts, culture, and heritage. We need an African traditional health practitioners council because there is no ailment on the planet that cannot be healed by Africans; the only problem is that Africans do not harvest and process their own herbs,” he said.
Meanwhile, PAP President, H.E. Hon Chief Fortune Charumbira expressed satisfaction with the commitment displayed throughout the two-week period and said the PAP Day celebrations were befitting curtains down to the august event.
“On this high note of our two-week engagement, it is appropriate that we close our program on a high note with PAP celebrations, and I would like to thank everyone for your commitment, and please continue to be committed,” said H.E Hon Chief Charumbira.
PAP’s purpose as set out in Article 17 of the African Union Constitutive Act, is “to ensure the full participation of African people in the development and economic integration of the continent”. As it stands, the mandate of the Parliament extends to consultation and playing an advisory and oversight role for all AU organs pending the ratification protocol.
Also known as the Malabo Protocol, the Protocol to the consultative act of the AU relating to the PAP was adopted at the Assembly of Heads of State and Government summit in June 2014 and is intended to extend the powers of the PAP into a fully-fledged legislative organ. It requires a minimum of 28 countries to ratify it before it comes into force.
The commemoration of the PAP Day, therefore, serves as a reminder to the decision-makers around the continent to fulfil their commitment to the PAP by ratifying its Protocol, 17 years after sanctioning its establishment. 14 AU member states have so far ratified the Malabo Protocol.
The PAP Day commemoration also aims to educate citizens about the PAP and ignite conversations about the future of the continental Parliament in line with its mandate.
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DPP drops Kably threat to kill case
The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Letlhakeng/Lephephe Liakat Kably has welcomed the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP)’s decision not to prosecute BDP councillor, Meshack Tshenyego who allegedly threatened to kill him. However, the legislator has warned that should anything happen to his life, the state and the courts will have to account.
In an interview with this publication, Kablay said he has heard that the DPP has declined to prosecute Tshenyego in a case in which he threatened to kill him adding that the reasons he received are that there was not enough evidence to prosecute. “I am fine and at peace with the decision not to prosecute over evidential deficits but I must warn that should anything happen to my life both the DPP and the Magistrate will have to account,” Kablay said.
Connectedly, Kably said he has made peace with Tshenyego, “we have made peace and he even called me where upon we agreed to work for the party and bury the hatchet”.
The DPP reportedly entered into a Nolle Prosequi in the matter, meaning that no action would be taken against the former Letlhakeng Sub-district council chairperson and currently councillor for Matshwabisi.
According to the charge sheet before the Court, councilor Tshenyego on July 8th, 2022 allegedly threatened MP Kably by indirectly uttering the following words to nominatedcouncilor Anderson Molebogi Mathibe, “Mosadi wa ga Liakat le ban aba gagwe ba tsile go lela, Mosadi wame le banake le bone ba tsile go lela. E tla re re mo meeting, ka re tsena meeting mmogo, ke tla mo tlolela a bo ke mmolaya.”
Loosely translated this means, Liakat’s wife and children are going to shed tears and my wife and kids will shed tears too. I will jump on him and kill him during a meeting.
Mathibe is said to have recorded the meeting and forwarded it to Kably who reported the matter to the police.
In a notice to the Magistrate Court to have the case against Tshenyego, acting director of Public Prosecutions, Wesson Manchwe cited the nolle prosequi by the director of public prosecution in terms of section 51 A (30) of the Constitution and section 10 of the criminal procedure and evidence act (CAP 08:02) laws of Botswana as reasons for dropping the charges.
A nolle prosequi is a formal notice of abandonment by a plaintiff or prosecutor of all or part of a suit or action.
“In pursuance of my powers under section 51 A (300 of the Constitution and section 10 of the criminal procedure and evidence act (CAP 08:02) laws of Botswana, I do hereby stop and discontinue criminal proceedings against the accused Meshack Tshenyego in the Kweneng Administrative District, CR.No.1077/07/2022 being the case of the State vs Tshenyego,” said Manchwe. The acting director had drafted the notice dropping the charges on 13th day of March 2023.
The case then resumed before the Molepolole Magistrate Solomon Setshedi on the 14th of March 2023. The Magistrate issued an order directing “that matters be withdrawn with prejudice to the State, accused is acquitted and discharged.”